AustLit

'Richard James Allen has always been a generous poet, never miserly with his words and wisdom, so it is fitting that The Short Story of You and I is dedicated, quite simply, “for you.” Most of the poems are written in the first or second person. An abiding sense of inclusivity is achieved and so the poetry is a delight to read in a time that seems so divisive: an era of insta-hate and antisocial media, refugees banished to remote islands, and walls erected. An antidote is offered in Allen’s work – although the reader should be warned that this draught may really be a sleeping potion.' (Introduction)