North by South

John Davies' new book, North by South, offers a choice selection from his substantial body of work. From the slate quarries of north Wales to the steelworks town of his youth in south Wales to the dirt roads of the American West, the poet's travels through rough landscapes and his meetings with the characters who inhabit them inspire witty, occasionally satirical and often piercing meditations.

John Davies was brought up in Port Talbot, south Wales, and in Prestatyn where he taught English. He has also taught in Michigan and Washington. In 1986 The Visitor's Book, his third collection, was joint winner of the Poetry Society's major award, the Alice Hunt Bartlett Prize. John Davies is also a talented wood carver.