Cracked Skull Cinema

David Briggs was born in 1972, and grew up in the New Forest. He received an Eric Gregory Award in 2002, and has published three previous collections of poetry – Rain Rider, The Method Men, and Cracked Skull Cinema. From 2019–2023, David was co-editor of the Bristol-based poetry journal Raceme.

Being focussed and aware is not without pain, suffering and sacrifice for the narrator of these poems. The final poem ‘Lullaby’ concludes ‘we understood the cost of what eluded us.’ These poems are full of careful, taut observations and considerations, all within ‘the eager crosshairs of truth’s opportune rifle.’ If at times I longed for some linguistic carnage to shake things up, this is nonetheless a sure-footed, agile and wise group of poems.