Sweet River

‘In Sweet River’s wash of water and words, there’s an implicit message. Humanity might be the great polluter, the river’s enemy, but it will all live on, preserved in language - language that seems to lighten Hibberd’s usual dismal subjects - decay and death. We get the full gloomy monty in this collection, ending with a joyless Ode To Joy. But there’s always the sweet river, pristine and beautiful, memorably mirrored by a master wordsmith. The title poem is pure lyric.’ - Barry Oakley