POETRY Joy Howard has something to say in her poems about nature, and human nature, and about grief, and time, and memory. Her combination of tender but acute observation and mordant wit is reminiscent of U.A. Fanthorpe. These are strong, womanly poems, characterised by the uncluttered vision of a poet who tells her own truth, regardless of whether she is wryly considering the contents of the myth-kitty or looking afresh at earlier anger and later loss. An engaging simplicity of language and expression gives the whole collection a powerful honesty. You can rely on these poems; they will not let you down. Ann Drysdale