Salvation Jane

At the heart of many of these poems lies an apprehension of things being lost or destroyed, and with this a need for consolation. The question of how we look for, or create, such solace – whether in faith or the rain, by doing a puzzle or watching TV – is one that threads through the book.

In this her second collection there is an increasing scope and depth to language as Stoddart seeks to explore paradoxes: poems of motherhood are double-edged celebrations, grief must come to some good. Th...