Faded Belonging

In Maria's words, 'I do not need to invent stories. Real life is strange. funny, tragic and dramatic enough, without requiring embellishment. These poems are true tales of my life, my family history and the social, historical and political themes that formed the backdrop to our lives. I spent most of my childhood trying to escape the doubly locked door behind which I was raised - the combination of an immigrant Irish neighbourhood and a closed coal mining community. That door was bolted beh...