Mercury

Simon Smith's Mercury comprises three sections or "books" filled with his characteristic gem-like poems. As with his earlier collection Reverdy Road, Smith's poems demonstrate tremendous wit and profundity tempered by lightness of touch. This is a wonderfully accessible collection which casts a knowing eye on Roman classics and contemporary life.

This remarkable new volume sports the brevity and cheek of Martial's epigrams, providing the excuses and occasions - Mercury is a book of pith, turning on an urban-knowing wit, a rag-bag of flip, it embraces the complexities of ordinary language and expression. Veracity sounded through fleeting moments; these are poems that say difficult things simply.

Mercury is Simon Smith's third full-length volume of poetry.

On Reverdy Road:

"When asked to name my favourite Salt book for 2003 my answer was Simon Smith's Reverdy Road ... it was such a surprise ... reading so many [images] together, they exploded into clarity ..." -Tim Allen, Terrible Work

"Smith is master of the deceptively casual poem.... At its best ... [his] use of the short form over so many pages achieves an effect comparable to a villanelle." -Simon Coppock, Poetry Review

"The Jack Lemmon of English poetry." -Geraldine Monk