Afterburner

Following the terrific success of Max is Missing -- winner of the Forward Prize for best poetry collection -- Peter Porter has produced another book of great power and erudition. ''Afterburner'' -- the device that provides the extra thrust to a turbojet -- is a thoroughly appropriate title for this fuel-injected work. From his lengthening perspective and high vantage, no one is better placed than Porter to give these subtle meditations on art, life and the social mores - and few could manage them with such compassion and humour. Afterburner will further enhance his reputation as one of the finest poets writing in English today.