In a world grappling with complexity and contradiction, The Rough, the Smooth and the Quirky: Poems for a Complicated World by Oxford-based Anglo-Scottish poet John Webster offers a bold and lyrical response. This compelling collection ventures into contested terrain, guided by the belief that poetry can illuminate difficult truths and foster meaningful dialogue.

From a pointed call for Keir Starmer to apologise to Rosie Duffield over the gender debate, to a Shakespearean rebuke of Osama Bin Laden, and a chilling reflection on grooming gang psychology drawn from a 1970s visit to Pakistan - Webster's verses confront uncomfortable realities with wit, insight, and moral clarity. The section Words on the Woke delivers sharp, satirical takes on contemporary identity politics, while No Such Thing as Infidel explores the historical and modern tensions between Islam and the West, suggesting paths toward mutual understanding. In Stanzas on Ukraine, Webster lends poetic solidarity to the Ukrainian struggle, culminating in Ukraine Dreamin', a poignant imagining of reconciliation through the eyes of a Russian dissenter.

Yet the collection is not solely political. The opening suite, Ties of the Heart, delves into themes of mental health, mortality, and enduring friendship, with tributes to figures such as Benjamin Zephaniah, John Martyn, E.P. Thompson, Mary Shelley, and the poet's own father. Travel-inspired poems offer vivid glimpses into the world's rich diversity and human experience. Webster's imaginative reach extends to fables where Hitler is spooked by a preminition of The Beatles' Yellow Submarine, and Lord Byron shares reflections with Joe Biden on Afghanistan and the Greek War of Independence. The final section contemplates the personal impact of globalisation, closing with meditative verses that invite reflection and renewal.

Written in fluid, rhyming couplets, these poems "tell it like it is" - candid yet compassionate, provocative yet hopeful. The Rough, the Smooth and the Quirky is a literary tonic for turbulent times, inviting readers to laugh, think, and feel their way through the chaos of the modern world.

Author's website: www.johnmwebster.co.uk