Life (Paperback or Softback)

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.

Clive Oseman is a Brummie spoken word artist now based in Swindon, where he moved for work in 2003. He has been writing poetry for around fifteen years and was widely published worldwide, particularly in short-form journals and anthologies, before discovering performance poetry in 2014. After early nerve-racked open-mic performances around the Bristol scene he got hooked on performance and now headlines, features and slams around the UK as well as co-hosting Oooh Beehive, Swindon's biggest regular spoken word event. The spoken word scene has transformed his life after a troubled childhood and serious illness left him withdrawn and painfully shy. He is a keen sports fan with a particular love of rugby league and Birmingham City FC, and keenly political, being a member of the Labour Party and Momentum. Most importantly of all, he is the proud father of a wonderful daughter, Germaine, to whom this book is dedicated.