'One last thing. The heart’s just an engine,
a valve of sorts. That other stuff
(anger, jealousy, compassion etc) –
all of that is up to you. Ready now?
Deep breath. Sharp scratch. Here we go.'
A woman borrows her husband's tongue, a man spends years in a stalled car, a teenage boy sees a crack divide his town...
In this impressive debut, York-based poet Miles Cain guides readers through an increasingly familiar dystopia of mind and city; a world observed with accuracy, wit and heart. Insightful, surreal and surprising, The Border marks the arrival of a formidable new voice in British poetry.
"Presents the world through Cain-tinted glasses... a place lit by possibility, mapped by language."
Ian McMillan
"Impressive... crammed with sharp images, terse rhythms and 'sane, careful precision'."
Oz Hardwick
"A fantastic collection... bleak and big-hearted poems with a wit that matches his eye for detail."
Luke Kennard
"Fast, to the point, full of power."
Paul Sutherland
"Exciting.... will win him many more admirers."
Debjani Chatterjee
Miles Cain is a writer, musician and storyteller based in York. His novel for teenagers, A Song For Nicky Moon, was shortlisted for The Times/Chicken House Children’s Writing Award in 2010. He has written for the BBC, as well as The Independent, The Guardian, The Sunday Times, The Northern Echo, Church Times and Arts Industry. His poetry has appeared in journals such as Orbis, The Frogmore Papers, South Bank Poetry, Aesthetica, Dream Catcher and Cake, and has won several prizes.