Sent, Nigel Kent's pamphlet of epistolary poems, begins with a work that ironically marks the end of the letter form. Yet as the remainder of the collection makes clear, with the advent of alternative means of messaging, opportunities today for using the written word to communicate to others have proliferated. Pieces such as his text from a jilted lover, his DM to a headliner poet from a disillusioned fan, and his naming card to Lyra redefine the nature of epistolary poems into something vibrant and contemporary, making the reader laugh and cry. Sometimes at the same time!
"The final poem in this collection begins with a quote from Adrian Mitchell: 'Most people ignore most poetry because most poetry ignores most people.' Nigel Kent's collection of epistolary poems is the opposite of this - it gives voice and a spotlight to the kind of people we all identify with - the secretary who can't tell her boss what she really thinks of his behaviour, the lover with 'grief clinging to her chest', and the 'bedsit boys' for whom a better life seems out of reach. The huge themes of our time are also here: the loss of Truth, the abuse of our planet, refugees whose lives are 'traded for votes'. And running through all of these poems is a deep appreciation of language, its wayward propensity to develop whether we like it or not, a wry and humorous mourning of what has been lost. This is Kent's love letter to the written word, and any reader who shares that love will find much to enjoy here."
Karen Macfarlane, poet and author of 'All About the Surface'
"Nigel Kent has a gift for depicting the human condition with wit, wisdom and a refreshing honesty. The sheer variety of themes (topical, traditional, and most unusual) draw laughter one minute and claw at the heart with a raw beauty the next. To include an exquisite 'Note to Self' in this epistolary marvel of a collection is inspired. With its linguistic twists, unique takes, and insightful allure, the superlative Sent is a delightful read."
Susan Jarvis Bryant, poet and author of 'Elephants Unleashed'
"This new collection from Nigel Kent shows the poet at his inventive best. In the form of letters and messages variously written in the voice of our planet, words, refugees and others, the poems are playful and funny on the surface but also carry a strong message applicable to us all. Subtle and not so subtle cautions to humanity in general and to each of us as individuals can be found here in vivid and telling imagery."
Barbara Cumbers, poet and author of 'In the Simmer Din'
"From the opening poem in which the team being 'down-sized' consists of 'much abused Colon, Semi-Colon, Comma ... all judged surplus to requirements' to the heartbreaking 'Parting' and the delicious ambiguity of 'Secrets', Nigel Kent teases us with memories, photo albums, and poems that often finish with unexpected twists. This is a thoughtfully curated collection that shows his creative talents to perfection."
Polly Stretton, poet and author of 'Growing Places'
Nigel Kent is a Pushcart Prize nominated poet and reviewer who lives in rural Worcestershire. He is an active member of the Open University Poetry Society, managing its website and occasionally editing its workshop magazine.He is the author of three collections, Fall, Unmuted and Saudade; two pamphlets, Benchwarmers and Psychopathogen; and two poetry conversations with Sarah Thomson, Thinking You Home and A Hostile Environment. All published by Hedgehog Poetry Press.He has also collaborated with Nick Browne, photographer, to produce two independently published books of photo-poetry, A Voice and A Vision, and Paris Reflected.In 2021, 2022 and 2023 he was shortlisted for the Saboteur Award for Reviewer of Literature.
