Crystal

Through moving and incisive poetry, Crystal traces the arc of one woman’s experience after the discovery that her partner is addicted to crystal meth.

In a highly original poetic act of reclamation, it plunders the drug itself and makes of it an overarching conceit to articulate the devastating impact of living with a loved one who is utterly changed. Deeply felt, tirelessly inventive, this collection gives voice to addiction’s explosive effect within a family. At the same time it speaks universally and with urgency of the power of poetry to take one through the darkest of times.

Ellen Cranitch was born in London of Irish parents. Her debut poetry collection, The Immortalist, was shortlisted for the Seamus Heaney Award for Best First Collection. Crystal is her second collection. She holds an MA in English Literature from Cambridge University and a PhD from the University of St Andrews. She has taught literature and Creative Writing at a number of universities and currently teaches Masterclass and Advanced Poetry Workshop at the City Lit Institute, London.