Shall We Go?

Austin is a fable maker. Hers is a poetry of parts held together by powerfully imagined dream associations. As her world deliquesces and reforms, her imagination breathes life into other people in other times, weirdly authenticating the material she draws from history.' ~Anne Stevenson

‘…Austin is intensely local in the best sense. Not because it is tied to a specific landscape, but because whatever she considers passes through heart, intellect and nerves intimately, yet edgily in touch with their objects. Her voice is quiet, subtle but precise. It’s an unusual voice for the times and all the more valuable for that.’ ~George Szirtes, Ars Notoria

'Major themes of this collection are the insubstantiality of form, ways in which shape and substance morph, and the uncertainty of establishing identity... The eye for detail is meticulous... much for older students of poetry to explore.' ~Frank Startup, The School Librarian

'She is concerned with things that are hard or impossible to see, and objects and places that are either boundary-less, like an unframed picture, or whose boundaries, like the sea, change moment by moment.... Again and again Austin’s poems lead us towards the unknown. They drop hints but refuse to offer a solution to what we can’t quite see and can never fully understand.' ~Kathleen Bell, The High Window

'Lack of ostentation is part of the appeal of Austin's work. It voices mysteries with elegant composure. The mundane is met on its own terms, then all at once titled, a strangeness exposed. Sometimes the art is in the omission... Track is a book of many themes and explorations. Again, it reminds us of a poet whose technical control, musicality and gift for subtle surprise deserve wider notice.' ~Carol Rumens, The Guardian

'Annemarie Austin's world is one of doubles and reflections...she is deeply engaged with shifting perspectives and challenging perceptions.' ~Jane Griffiths, Poetry Review

'She has the power to suggest the fantastic or the terrible... Annemarie Austin understands that the force of the uncanny lies in the echoing silence at the edge of the unknown.' ~Helen Kidd, Poetry Quarterly Review

'Austin's voice has a shivery intelligence and precision.'  ~Deryn Rees-Jones, London Magazine