The Thoughts By Sarah Barnsley John Irons inspired by the pictures of

inspired by the pictures of the Portuguese artist Paula Rego

as inspiration and as a moral and political handbook

'This poem has an elegant form and distinctive imagery which convey and celebrate a bird native to Central Asia in a contemporary ode that really doesn't put a foot wrong from start to finish

and James Byrne

suffering brothers

The Thoughts By Sarah Barnsley John Irons inspired by the pictures ofAn assured and inventive debut, The Thoughts explores different manifestations of intrusive thoughts as part of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) before navigating through the twists and turns of recovery and love. These poems inhabit therapists treatment rooms, waiting rooms, and everyday documents, appearing in such varied forms as emails, research proposals and kids puzzles. Compassionate and at times painfully humorous, The Thoughts is an act of