Sheds have come a long way since the man-cave cliché. These days, a shed is a far more democratic place – somewhere that symbolises the privacy and space that we all need. John Greening’s wonderfully varied selection of poems explores sheds from every imaginable angle. The poems take us to a child’s hiding place, a treasury of exotic implements and rich aromas and a retreat in which to remember the past. Derek Mahon’s fêted poem ‘A Disused Shed in Co. Wexford’ creates a mysterious inner world which seems to exist outside time. A shed may just be a place to keep the lawnmower, or it may be somewhere to escape to in order to write or paint. Sometimes it’s a haven in which to daydream when the house is full of noise and bustle. Elsewhere it’s: “A sea-side arbour, a garden shanty, knocked together out of driftwood and furnished with a beat-up sofa…” from ‘Arbour’ by Kathleen Jamie. This enchanting selection leads the reader quietly into private worlds and makes the perfect gift for every shed-lover. Poems by Fleur Adcock, Alison Brackenbury, John Greening, Stuart Henson, Kathleen Jamie, Derek Mahon, John McAuliffe, MR Peacocke, Carol Rumens, Vernon Scannell.

Bind: paperback

Pages: 24

Dimensions: 137 x 210 mm

Publication Date: 01-03-2018

Nowadays, running is a serious business and we’re all busy recording our PBs on complicated watches. These poems remind us that there’s still plenty of fun to be had – whether navigating a forest trail before breakfast or lying in bed coming up with reasons not to go out at all. There’s the familiar sight of a runner skirting shoppers in a busy street, leaving behind a trail of bemusement: “Was that Paul? Was that Sue? unsure whether the flickering figures half seen from behind might have been the friends they knew, or thought they knew.” from ‘Runners in Town’ by Jenny King. The abiding spirit of the selection is that running remains the most democratic of sports – and that the main thing really is the taking part, be it in a 5K or a marathon or simply a trot around a local forest. Poems by Helen Allison, Carole Bromley, Wanda Coleman, Mark Granier, Stephen Keeler, Jenny King, Glyn Maxwell, Eugene Ethelbert Miller, Mandy Sutter and David Wagoner.

Bind: paperback

Dimensions: 137 x 210 mm

Publication Date: 01-08-2022

Bees work hard, and there is something in their diligence that touches us. Most of us see only a fraction of their absorbing routines but their ‘bee-lines’ through our parks and gardens are more than enough to suggest their dedication: “…they make a life for themselves that knows no let-up through hours of exploration and return, their thighs golden with pollen…” from ‘Back they sputter’ by Eamon Grennan. Here are poems about getting stung and about a bee-keeping Divinity master in a boarding school whose hives are far more appealing than PE lessons. This heady mix of poems is sure to please anyone who delights in bees, flowers and gardens – or indeed the golden taste of honey! The selection is introduced by environmentalist and broadcaster Brigit Strawbridge Howard. Poems by Ciaran Berry, David Briggs, Miriam Darlington, Heid E. Erdrich, Eamon Grennan, Selima Hill, Carola Luther, Paula Meehan, Pascale Petit and Jean Toomer.

Bind: paperback

Pages: 24

Dimensions: 163 x 217 mm

Publication Date: 01-05-2019