Collected Poems

(1979-2016)

Plot

For the first time since individual inclusions in pamphlets, the third of an anthology - "Play for three hands" - through to self-published Kindle volumes 'Walking Thru Fire" and "Second Sight", Ian Gouge has gathered together all his major poems, revised them, and produced this first "Collected Poems".It contains some of those early pieces - such as "From The Lighthouse" - some poems never published before, and includes all the marque verse from his later volumes: "St. Ives", "Skipton", and of course "Walking Through Fire". This volume is a journey through theme and style, which still echoes the critique made in "Play for three hands": 'the stoic shrug of the shoulders may mask a deeper sensibility. The disillusionment is only skin deep. Penetrate the veneer of cynicism and you will find a romantic beneath' (Jason Best).