Photofit - Martin Jago

This powerful debut constructs a vivid portrayal of past and present events through unflinching and often darkly humorous poetry. The poems collide at the intersection of childhood trauma and adult memory, where identity is shaped and 'No one sees or hears / the crash - its horror unfolding between the front seats / in slow motion...' Through the narrative, they capture the chaos and energy of a childhood, the manipulations and assaults that hollow it out, and ultimately, the interplay between human fragility and resilience on the path to adult life. Along the way, there are ghosts, flashbacks, haunted dreams and vivid imaginings, and the test of human courage represented by a courtroom trial.