Poetry review: The fine art of surprise

The characters in this collection are portrayed with affection and empathy but their lives are never romanticised; there’s a darkness hidden beneath the surface of many of these poems

Some of the best poems in Bernard O’Donoghue’s latest collection come when he strays beyond his comfort zone. Picture: Larry Cummins

• The Anchorage 
• Bernard O’Donoghue 
• Faber, €18.85