Winner of the Peterloo and Scottish National Poetry Competitions.
"Poems of a profoundly troubled childhood, recorded with consummate skill and delicacy. Natural scenes beautifully observed, lyrically described. Altogether a very moving collection."
Judith Chernaik
"I very much like the starkness, honesty and courage of these poems."
Michael Mackmin
'Down South'
9 Shore Road looked out on the Firth.
Spring tides and force 8 gales dashed it with spray,
left salt spots on the windows. Gulls on the roof
daubed the slates with white.
The man did odd jobs, sawed logs, grew veg and fished.
His wife baked bread and scones, made house a home.
Days I lived there with them. Nights I went to Gran’s.
They had a bath with taps which Gran did not.
Her house was old and small with a dark lav in the yard.
I’d tuck my feet up in case of mice.
I thought I’d left 9 Shore Road. But the child in me
goes back to the smell of soup, pine logs flamed blue
and green from oozing sap, the feel of the cat and me
on the mat, the voice of my book, the tick of the clock.
Where I live now is here, West Yorkshire. Down south.…
Catherine Benson spent most of her childhood in Scotland and now lives in Bradford. Her poems have been published in many anthologies for both children and adults, and have been broadcast on BBC radio. Her first adult collection, It Must Have Been a Sunday, was published by Smith/Doorstop. She has won prizes in several competitions: the Buxton, Templar, TES, Oldie, New Statesman and The Spectator. This is her second collection.