Maths, science, retro arcade games, and what it feels like to be stood up in a restaurant by an entire poetry society. Dan Simpson considers them all and more in his first collection.

Whilst the familiar themes of science and technology are examined with the snappily-smart observations he's known for, in this second collection Dan taps into a more personal and poignant voice. By turns robust and vulnerable, the book is shot through with the sense of humour and linguistic dexterity for which the former Canterbury Laureate has built a reputation in the world of spoken word. Unafraid to play with form and structure, the collection includes a univocalic black cab journey; a music review featuring all the words first coined in 1985; and a shape poem in the shape of a poem. ...