Webster, D: Mockingbird

In poetry that strikes a delicate balance between candour and lament, "Mockingbird "tracks the aftershocks of a failed marriage through a variety of self-portraits. Derek Webster s speakers itemize their regrets and fears while keeping sentimentality in check, the result is a first book of exceptional emotional power. Indeed, the distinctive and nuanced shapes of Webster s exquisitely controlled lyrics highlight the great achievement of his debut: a clipped, often aphoristic line-making stripped down to cold truths. The struggle isn t about being yourself, these poems argue, but about deciding which version of yourself to accept and surviving the decision with equanimity."