A falling tortoise is a bizarre way to meet one’s end, but it is typical of Sheenagh Pugh’s wry humour that it finds a place in her poetry. The more humorous aspects of mortality and human frailty receive the same alert consideration as sombre subjects such as dictatorship, torture, the Dieppe raid and pollution. Whether describing the significance of the maximum break in snooker or exploring the mind of a Nazi, Sheenagh Pugh’s individual voice resonates throughout her finely crafted poetry.