Bird of Oblivion

' David Pollard has the poet's preoccupation with the limitations of language in his compelling collection, Bird of Oblivion. He approaches the painful subject of a loved one's dementia obliquely, often using nautical metaphors to explore how it feels to be utterly powerless. This distancing technique frees him to write with unflinching honesty, taking the reader straight to the heart of suffering.

The flowing, unpunctuated lines and surging rhythm mirror the energy of the sea. The darkness ...