Slide

In this chilling and tense collection, Mark Pajak takes us with him into the nettles, out on the dark country lane, to the dilapidated shed - holding us with his acute precision of imagery - so we become all too aware of that "long squeal" of violence under the poem's "fluttery lid". A visceral and vital debut.

Andrew McMillan

In this chilling and tense collection, Mark Pajak takes us with him into the nettles, out on the dark country lane, to the dilapidated shed - holding us with his acute precision of imagery - so we become all too aware of that "long squeal" of violence under the poem's "fluttery lid". A visceral and vital debut.

Andrew McMillan

Hands down a knockout debut, Slide isn't messing around. The poems have a live buzz and hum about them - everything is working to such precise and intense ends.

Paul Farley

Hands down a knockout debut, Slide isn't messing around. The poems have a live buzz and hum about them - everything is working to such precise and intense ends.

Paul Farley

Mark Pajak's skillful poems keep themselves open, especially to childhood and adolescent experience. Even so, they are far from frail - their insight and imaginative verve make them robust as well as eloquent.

Carol Ann Duffy

Mark Pajak's skillful poems keep themselves open, especially to childhood and adolescent experience. Even so, they are far from frail - their insight and imaginative verve make them robust as well as eloquent.

Carol Ann Duffy

I was stunned by these poems. Fresh, urgent, alive, awake, with such a strong visceral impact I couldn't sleep. Mark Pajak offers a high-res lens through which we share his vision of the suffering of children and animals. There is a fierce intelligence at play here, emotional, physical and cerebral. The combination is genius.

Patience Agbabi, author of THE INFINITE

I was stunned by these poems. Fresh, urgent, alive, awake, with such a strong visceral impact I couldn't sleep. Mark Pajak offers a high-res lens through which we share his vision of the suffering of children and animals. There is a fierce intelligence at play here, emotional, physical and cerebral. The combination is genius.

Patience Agbabi, author of THE INFINITE

Pajak's poetry is extreme, its subjects often united with elements and seasons... his stories' endings haunt the hearer like the close of a dark, irresistible song.

Alison Brackenbury

Pajak's poetry is extreme, its subjects often united with elements and seasons... his stories' endings haunt the hearer like the close of a dark, irresistible song.

Alison Brackenbury