A well-paced and, at times, arresting debut, Andrew Ogun’s poetry collection Slingshot is a series of meditations on men’s mental health, race and family ties. Ogun’s poetry – unsurprisingly, given he’s also a musician and spoken word artist – has a rhythmic and lyrical quality that allows the reader to flow through the book. Each poem, however, is also well-constructed, and offers a truth that is worth considering in isolation.

Perhaps one of the most powerful sections in the collection is the reflection on Ogun’s various names, names chosen and names given, and how they reflect various parts of his identity, culture and memory. It is a creative and innovative way to reflect the complexities of living with a number of (at times conflicting) cultural identities. Many of the poems, including these, effectively use historic and the ancient to bring gravity to the human experience. Other aspects of the collection, such as A Zoom Burial, sharply bring into focus the more uncomfortable parts of modern life. 

Ogun’s poetry collection represents not just an impressive debut, but a wave of fresh and exciting voices coming out of urban south Wales. A new writer full of potential, Andrew Ogun is one to watch.