The poems in this collection swing in mood from darkly serious to rather lighter tones, the emphasis being on reactions both to what is observed physically, and to associations aroused by single words or ideas. These can be extreme, as with ‘Inside Belsen’ or ‘Brimstone’. Sometimes, as with ‘John Lindley Has Died’, a news story in a magazine can provoke an emotional response, as the mind attempts to come to terms with what the announcement has evoked.