A Coat of Ashes

‘The light has to get somewhere, touch something, to exist’

Jackson’s new collection traverses science and spirituality, philosophy and matter. Drawing from physics, systems theory, Daoism and more, it contemplates profound questions about our place within a world of being. With deft silences and fine observations, these poems explore both modern and ancient paths to knowledge, seeking to ‘fully apprehend nature, including our fellow beings, and foster a reverent respect for it’.

‘This collection, richly suffused with a personal metaphysics, delicately balances the most crucial aspects of being on a bridge between dark and light. One feels that the words in A coat of ashes might be written and received on the skin.’
—Dominique Hecq

‘Jackson’s work is both original and rooted in a number of poetic traditions, which it deftly fuses. The poems in A coat of ashes are beautifully composed, coherent and crystalline. This rich, creative work makes a genuine contribution to contemporary poetry.’
—Fiona Sampson MBE FRSL