“Unreliable Judgements”, a new collection of poetry from a distinct Northern voice is published by Little Ginnel Press (price £9.50)

“Readers seeking a precipitous intellectual challenge may not be out of breath at the end of this book………” says John in the introduction to “ Unreliable Judgements “ . That is not to say the verse lacks  metaphorical dimensions  or  requires no cerebral activity by the reader.

Here is a range of poems incorporating many emotions, shock ,pathos, yearning, glee,nostalgia  and doing so without the reader needing  comprehensive familiarity with poetic form. The voice is direct   -  devoid of flamboyance and sentimentality  -  as you would expect from a dyed-in-the-wool West Riding  lad who, among other achievements, boasts a City and Guilds Certificate in Shoddy and Mungo Manufacture!

He is yet to produce (he says) a competent Yorkshire dialect poem although he is proficient in speaking West Riding dialect.