Dirt Roads

Wry wit and intelligence shine through in this new collection. In the opening poem, "Gold", a dirt road is "a ghost hunted by a snake" leading to a former boomtown of the American gold rush. The author's travels in the United States inspire portraits of unusual characters, of peculiar incidents, of defining moments, tossed with flashes of Bluegrass, guns, and fishing. The roads of the north Wales coast provide similar inspiration. Included is a sequence of fourteen sonnets, "Reading the Country", that delve deep into the history of the slate industry in north Wales. The harsh beauty of the abandoned quarries contrasts with the often rugged lives of those who worked there.