I’ve enjoyed reading Stephen Daniels’ poems whenever they’ve popped up in magazines and on websites, including a couple that I published on Clear Poetry, so I was delighted to hear that he’d teamed up with the excellent V. Poetry to publish this, his debut pamphlet.

Tell Mistakes I Love Them – Stephen Daniels (V. Press)

Like V. Press’ other publications, it’s beautifully designed. The bright orange cover is instantly eye-catching, and is amber used as a warning of some kind? The cover image too is thoughtful and memorable – an idealised couple where the man is scratched out.

The collection kicks off in style with ‘Four-minute warning’ – it’s a useful way to ease yourself into Daniels’ slightly surreal and unpredictable style:

Drop the children
Fold the tea
Cook the cutlery
Iron the rug

Nothing is as it should be, and we wait with baited breath to find the…