Sheds have come a long way since the man-cave cliche. These days, a shed is a far more democratic place
somewhere that symbolises the privacy and space that we all need. John Greening’s wonderfully varied selection of poems explores sheds from every imaginable angle. The poems take us to a child’s hiding place, a treasury of exotic implements and rich aromas and a retreat in which to remember the past. Derek Mahon’s feted poem ‘A Disused Shed in Co. Wexford’ creates a mysterious inner world which seems to exist outside time. A shed may just be a place to keep the lawnmower, or it may be somewhere to escape to in order to write or paint. Sometimes it’s a haven in which to daydream when the house is full of noise and bustle. Elsewhere it’s:
A sea-side arbour, a garden shanty, knocked together out of driftwood and furnished with a beat-up sofa… - from ‘Arbour’ by Kathleen Jamie This enchanting selection leads the reader quietly into private worlds and makes the perfect gift for every shed-lover. Poems by Fleur Adcock, Alison Brackenbury, John Greening, Stuart Henson, Kathleen Jamie, Derek Mahon, John McAuliffe, MR Peacocke, Carol Rumens, Vernon Scannell. Cover illustration by David&Rews.