A modern poet who, something of a rarity, talks about class and politics as well as love and art, John Lucas' craft has been developed over the past five decades.John Lucas' ninth full collection of poetry begins with a long poem echoing Auden's 'Letter to Lord Byron', and discusses love, art, politics, social class and the industrial midlands. He then moves on to wars, ancient and modern, concluding with Lucas' alter-ego, Thorn Gruin, moaning pitifully as always.