Life is Clive Oseman’s second collection following Happy, published by Bx3 in November 2016. The apparently random order of the poems in the collection is in fact a carefully planned reproduction of his performance style, in which sudden shifts from high to low reflect the personality of a writer who loves to see the funny side of life but is plagued with episodes of depression and self-doubt. Social commentary, personal turmoil and left-wing politics interspersed with humour make for a potent mix of emotions, with subjects ranging from the problems associated with buying a flat pack personality from a well-known Swedish multinational store to the challenges presented by the election of a lunatic president.