A Swan's Neck on the Butcher's Block

The new collection from one of Scotland’s most original voices.

Jenni Fagan converses with the poets of the past; through them, she communes with demons and explores a world that is continually at odds with itself.

The poet voyages, as ever, on the outskirts, calling out the nuances of class, of care, of misogyny and brutality. Yet even here, too, in her response, there is always love, humour, hope and defiance.

From one of Scotland’s most original voices, this collection places the poet’s life under the microscope. Each line brims with verve and wit and absolutely soars. It is, at once, heartbreaking and haunting, visceral and challenging and full of raw passion. These poems sing like only someone who has traversed the most arduous roads, pen in hand, can.