this stage of life

This collection of Sean O'Neill's poems is his first. The poems cover periods when the poet lived or worked in London, England; Milan, Italy; Drummore, a small fishing village on the West Coast of Scotland; and St. Paul, USA. The subject matter of the poems therefore varies from the grittily descriptive 'Bridges' and 'Sweet Thames', which are set in London, to the pastoral 'The Hill' and 'in this atlas of headland' set in the South Rhins peninsula. The poems cover several years and a multitude of situations and yet a consistent voice emerges finding meaning in apparently insignificant details, and clothing mundane events in a tapestry of rich wordplay. Several poetic sequences are contained in this collection including the four-part 'this stage of life' a wry commentary on modern life and 'Winter 2011' which centers on the view from a window during the harsh weather conditions of that year. Some of the poems are satirical; others celebrate the joy of simple things. Some are dark while others are full of hope. Whatever the reader's disposition he or she will find something valuable in this volume that echoes the mood of the moment or the season of life.