My favourite forms of poetry are the Sonnets, Sestinas and Coronas; however, I have explored other forms in this book too. Some are influenced by the beats and repeating line patterns of the 19thC French poet, Baudelaire, and others are freeform. My first poem, Homing Bodies, is written using a Baudelaire format. However, my heart and mind always seem to return to the Sonnet form, as you will note throughout the sections. Some of my poems are of a dark and bleak nature, and I’ve always loved the dark poems of Sylvia Plath. I think she was the first poet I really connected with. I believe she has had an influence upon me. Later, when studying for my Masters, I discovered the sonnets of Shakespeare and Petrarch, and loved them. This led me to complete a suite of sonnets as part of my degree. HOME – In this section, there’s a theme that covers a wide ranging perspective of what is considered ‘home’. From bugs at home in cracked walls, to those who have only doorways, streets, or parks, to call home. The Homeland poem reveals thoughts about my homeland of Australia. Being of Scottish/Irish ancestry, I have great respect for the traditional owners of this land. I reflect with sorrow, upon the hardships they have suffered since this country was colonized, or in fact, invaded. I have also included a ballad, The Republic of Australia, and I passionately hope that this country will become a Republic, sooner, rather than later. HEAT –In poems such as Steam Heat and Demon Fire, I use a Baudelaire format, comprising 12 beats to a line, instead of the 10 beats (iambic pentameter of the sonnets).There’s also the repeating of certain lines eg. 2nd line becomes first, last line becomes third in the following section. Alternatively, Heatwave is freeform, and I just allow the emotions to run along and build. This section has poems which tell of the horrors of heat and bushfires, including arsonists, something that is never far from our minds in this country during summer. Universal Concepts – This section wanders through lust, longing, love and nature. The Coronas, Behind the Blinds and Outside the Blinds, are about the misconceptions we may have about other people’s lives. Truth, whither do you go? – Truth and Lies is a topic that fascinates me. I explored it in my previous book and I do so again in this one.