An extension of O’Flynn’s previous work Einstein’s Brain floats somewhere between the thistle and the hug. It contains great variety in terms of subject matter, form, style, and mood. There is a typical wit we have come to expect, a penchant for the quirky and the absurd, as well as a willingness to play with language. A concern with form ranges from the traditional to the free-wheeling. There are also several longer poems exercising a sense of stamina across a broader canvas, including two poems shortlisted for the Newcastle Poetry Prize. Similarly, there are a number of other prize-winning poems including the John Shaw Neilson Poetry Prize and the Banjo Paterson Poetry Prize. Above all this book is about observation, about apprehending the oddity of what is right in front of our noses.
