And there the parallels end – or do they? The overall tone and approach of the two books could not be more dissimilar. While Andrew Greig's "This Life, This Life" delves into the larger issues we face in our lives –identity, death, the search for transcendence– in an almost epic way, sometimes presenting us with poem sequences or very long pieces, the shorter texts in Joanne Limburg's "Paraphernalia" deal with the seemingly ordinary trappings and contraptions of daily modern life. But then again, Limburg's breezy key is deceptive.

Greig's poems are at the same time austere and densely textured; their richly symbolical imagery invites association and reflection. The author's mountaineering adventures and wide travels (he is, so I have read, the "poet laureate" of the mountain-climbing crowd) seem to have suffused his work with a quiet insight into the workings of the heart. This reviewer especially enjoyed extracts from "A Flame In Your Heart", his indictment of the savagery of war through the experiences of a British pilot in WWII, and his wise and nuanced depiction of a group of Westerners' feelings upon encountering foreign cultures (see, for instance, "In The Last Village"). Some shorter poems, such as those from the 2001 collection "Into You", are simply luminous, in spite of their sometimes melancholy settings.

In Limburg's book, modern urban life is dissected through a finely ironic analysis of the myriad elements it is made of – bras and phone surveys, traffic and blood tests, burglar alarms and laundry. Her wit subtly and engagingly exposes the emptiness and isolation often inherent in the chaos of our routines, and she is uncannily apt at highlighting the sinister side of the day-to-day. On a warmer note, her poems on the small wonders –and trials– of motherhood are both humorous and tender, as seen in "Four Fingers".

Different as they are, both collections speak to us as modern adults, addressing issues that cry for our attention: the need, on one hand, to look at the deeper implications of humanity and the questions lying at their core – and, on the other hand, to get a grip on the hectic rhythm of our daily experience and instill it with valid meaning.

Getting acquainted with Greig's and Limburg's work has added to my knowledge and appreciation of the British poetry scene, as powerful and relevant as it is varied. May books of this kind continue to be published.

Laura Chalar was born in Montevideo, Uruguay in 1976. A writer, lawyer and critic, her literary work and articles have appeared in several publications in her country and abroad. Laura contributes regularly to La Farola, a community paper in Montevideo, and is Guest Editor of Versal magazine (www.wordsinhere.com). With fellow poet Alex Piperno, she is preparing a contemporary Uruguayan poetry blog. She has published "por así decirlo" ("so to speak"), a poetry chapbook (2005) and "El discreto encanto de la abogacía" ("The discreet charm of the legal profession"), a book of short stories about lawyers (2007).

© 2007 Laura Hird All rights reserved.