Rapture

The effortless virtuosity, drama and humanity of Carol Ann Duffy's verse have made her our most admired contemporary poet. "Rapture", her seventh collection, is a book-length love-poem, and a moving act of personal testimony - but what sets these poems apart from other treatments of the subject is Duffy's refusal to simplify the contradictions of love, and read its transformations - infatuation, longing, passion, commitment, rancour, separation and grief - as either redemptive or destructive. "Rapture" is a map of real love, in all its churning complexity; simultaneously direct and subtle, with poems that will find deep resonance in the experience of most readers, it is a collection that can and does speak for us all. 'These poems are outstanding; intellectually and emotionally complete, popular as love poems perhaps should be and can be, they are also masterly examples of poetic form ..."Rapture" is brilliant, beautiful, and heart-aching' - Jeanette Winterson, "The Times". 'A passionate and beautiful new book-length love affair in verse ...Ruthless, sensuous, tender; utterly modern, utterly classical, it's fantastic to see one of our best and most popular poets going from strength'"Rapture" is that rare thing - a poetry book that can (and should) be read from start to finish ...As the latest Carol Ann Duffy collection it is magnificent; as an examination of modern love and how it shapes us as human beings, it is unparalleled' - "Scotsman".