Jenny Nixon uses bold phrasing and syntax to record a life lived in and around Sydney s bohemian culture and lesbian and gay communities from the 1970s to the present. Her poetry is atmospheric, immediate and celebrates awareness gained, while honorouring the losses and counting the costs, including deaths of family friends and muses taken by age, AIDS or addictions. Although mainly narrative in style, Nixon s work doesn t shy away from political protest. It cuts close to the bone, and uses the language of the everyday in what is an accessible and moving collection. This collection will appeal to readers who like contemporary, no-nonsense poetry that isn t afraid of tackling the big issues.