A POETRY BOOK SOCIETY SPECIAL COMMENDATION *Sarah Maguire's first collection, Spilt Milk, established her as one of the most original voices in British poetry, and led to her being chosen as one of the New Generation Poets.
As he waits for an answer to his plight he learns the tragic story of the woman who has saved him, endangering her own life in the process, and begins to feel an impossible and forbidden love for her - a love that embodies an angry compassion for the suffering of Afghanistan's women, and the yearning for a lost home.
The title poem reflects on the profound destruction experienced in Afghanistan due to years of conflict. The poet's work is celebrated for its ability to intertwine vivid, sensory imagery with broader political themes, maintaining a balance that avoids becoming preachy or overly confrontational.