Author Description

X (noun) — 24th letter of the English alphabet; signifies an unknown person or thing; multiplication sign; a signature substitute; used to represent a choice or a vote; used to indicate a mistake; a mark for treasure on a map; a sex chromosome; a kiss... From X-Factor to X-rated, the third least common letter in the English alphabet appears commonly in life. In this sixth collection from award-winning poet Vona Groarke, X occurs when the known and the intuited cross each other's paths. These poems take pleasure in surface and depth. From the luminous colour of the garden sequence to its response to the transcendent spaces of Danish artist, Vilhelm Hammershi, X marks feeling and experience in language as daring as it is beautiful. This is a book of candour and poise: a groundbreaking publication from a writer hailed in Poetry Ireland Review as 'among the best Irish poets writing today'.