Test, Match, Day, Room - poetry for absent friends - is a history of our own times. Written 'in situ' during the summer of 2003, this short sequence of poetry responds to appalling conditions endured by myself and people 'held' on Jasper Ward, Sutton Hospital, an acute admissions ward in south London for people experiencing disabling mental distress. To the people I met in those circumstances - and for those where 'acute' stays often meant months, sometimes a year or more, unnecessarily - as before and elsewhere for their inspiration, and camaraderie - sincere thanks and respect. This is the first time these poems have been collated into their original sequential form - all the poems appear in the Modernist 2009 and 2012 collections Jetty View Holding and Apple Eye Feat respectively, published by Waterloo Press. More details at: www.waterloopress.co.uk Jasper Ward, I understand, lies empty now, (though partly re-named elsewhere), the original block nearing dereliction after millions spent on refurbishment, succumbing to Legionnaires disease scares, and public disquiet. (A proportion of royalties from this collection will be passed by the author to mental health-related charities/NGO's) PalamidiPress is proud to be a new imprint of Waterloo Press. Amazon Author Central address: https: //www.amazon.co.uk/Philip-Ruthen/e/B002MNBQCY

Author Biography

Philip Ruthen now lives in Devon, UK, travelling regularly to stay with family and for work in south London. His poetry, short fiction, book reviews, and associated articles have appeared in a wide variety of publications, in the UK and abroad, including poetry collections, 'Jetty View Holding' and 'Apple Eye Feat', with Waterloo Press www.waterloopress.co.uk His third poetry collection, 'Familial', (Waterloo Press, with grant assistance from the south west arts' Gane Trust), is available - first as a Kindle E-Edition, then printed book. Amazon Author Central address: https: //www.amazon.co.uk/Philip-Ruthen/e/B002MNBQCY