Oils is a gorgeous, beguiling collection of poems where the poise of the delivery belies the emotional, existential turmoil within.
Through his portraits of an atheist, a pickpocket and a spinach-loving sailor (among others), Sexton evokes a strange kind of melancholy as he strives to reconcile passion with detachment and profound self-doubt with unwavering love.
This is the debut pamphlet of Stephen Sexton, who has gone on to win awards including the National Poetry Competition and the Forward Prize for Best First Collection.