Doctor's poetry collection proves instant success

REPRINT ALREADY NEEDED FOR EPIC BOOK OF PROSE

PLYMOUTH poet Dr Phil Smith's new "assemblage" of poetry is an epic collection which has received a glowing review in a national magazine and already sold out its first print run.

The Common, published by Diagrammatical Press, contains more than 100 poems spread over 333 pages.

Described as "a great read" it has already proved to be a big hit, with the entire first print run sold out.

Phil said: "They have all gone, I've sold 200 already. I have to do a reprint." That's not bad for someone who says he is not a poet. Phil is better known as a dramatist, academic researcher and author with three novellas recently published as the Silver Snake Project, all set in either Plymouth or Dartmoor.

He also has seven theatre projects in production, whether adaptations or pieces he has written or co-written.

"The Common is collected poems," he said. " I don't really think of myself as a poet because I write in different forms." The spooky cover picture was taken by Phil. It is of a tree he came across near Maker in South East Cornwall.

And Plymouth and its environs are an important part of the poems within.