Corcoran’s first collection since his New & Selected Poems in 2004, ‘Backward Turning Sea’ (i.e. the Mediterranean) shows the author deepening his engagement with Greece, both ancient and modern – but it is a place where contemporary politics can intrude, disturbing the reverie. The collection also includes a number of poems based on the author’s fascination with the paintings of the St Ives artist, Roger Hilton.