Untergang

Exploring how humanity is rooted in and linked to everywhere and everything, Batten brought a fresh voice and precise language to his reflective, but ultimately hopeful debut, Transhumance. In Untergang, David Batten moves from the open, cosmic, affirming tone to a sequence that is internally reflective - darker, almost claustrophobic. Whereas his first collection ended on the plateau, in the light, anticipating summer, Untergang starts indoors in the dark of a power cut in the depth of winter and finishes inside the writer's ribcage, where it is even darker. This is not a world without hope, but it is one that urgently needs to wake, to face the dark and change it. Increasingly confident, Batten uses his distinctive, lyrical voice as a call to reflect on what might really matter in life. 'The Great Escape' Light seems to be giving up. Day considers changing sides. Heat slinks away-sun narrowing its arc, shortening the line. Trees withdraw to their inner worlds. The birds' evacuation manoeuvres started weeks ago. Life closes down, digs in, takes cover-even soil plays dead. Only we remain obliged to carry on. Otherwise exodus by a southern corridor, the quiet flight from night's great pincer movement.