I have in the recent past reviewed two fine pamphlets that explore the profound impact of life-threatening illness, namely Nikki Strange’s Body Talk and Ross McGivern’s Fragments and Stages. Jamie Woods’ Rebel Blood Cells (Punkdust Poetry, 2023) has a similar focus, but like Strange’s and McGivern’s work, it has a unique, uncompromising story to tell. In Woods’ case he takes us through the story of his diagnosis of acute leukaemia, the illness, his treatment and his ultimate recovery. What made the pamphlet particularly powerful for me is the rawness, the authenticity and the honesty of the poems.

These are emotionally engaging poems. Sometimes almost too heart-rending to read, yet I don’t think Woods is asking for our sympathy. He is merely telling it like it was. Take for example, Diagnosis, which tells of the moment his wife informs him that ‘They think you have Leukaemia.’ Woods is clearly suffering…