Being a middle-aged aged man – I do middle-aged man things. Sometimes. One is meeting with my middle-aged friend and getting nostalgic over a pint or two of beer.

Like many others.

We contemplate how things were better, how the youth of today are missing out on what he had.

Out of these conversations came a realisation, one that we found was articulated with frightening clarity by Mark Fisher in “Capitalist Realism, Is there No Alternative”. He makes the observation that we are of a generation that was sold a dream, a dream that did not come true. We were told that if we worked hard, and dedicated ourselves we would do well.

Well we did, work hard, for many years. Blood sweat and tears making our employees successful, generating profit and success.

But not for us. We still struggle in the day to day reality. We fight the rising cost of living and the shadow that were a few bad weeks away from homelessness or worse.

The dreams was a lie. And there is nothing left we can do about it.

This collection of poems is a reflection of my thoughts about this and other darker aspects of modern life. In my other collections I like to balance this side of my ruminations with more optimistic explorations. This did not seem appropriate here. This is my equivalent of a grunge phase.

It also contains largely previously unpublished works that have not appeared anywhere else.

So, stick on those goth tunes and wallow in the well of sunken dreams.