ISBN: 978-1-916760-28-8

eISBN: 978-1-916760-29-5

Price: £11.99

Publication date: 9^th October 2025

Format: Paperback / eBook

Territories: World

Extent: 72pp

DCF: Poetry Collections

Cover artwork: ‘Fishers of Men’ Elizabeth Morris etching

In Bycatch, a new collection by the Ted Hughes Prize shortlisted-poet Caroline Smith, the poems ask where personhood is when memory and language are gone. They capture the faltering years of a life gradually scraped bare by the deep-sea trawler of dementia – yet find amongst the isolation and sadness, moments also of clarity, epiphany and love.

Whilst these poems chart deep waters, they remind us also of the enduring and miraculous bond between those who have known each other for a lifetime. With grace and often with humour, Smith unravels the intricate nature of care, the symbiosis of family, and ultimately the sense of self held in the memories and personal histories of her own parents. It is in the swell of the wave, as ageing and loss threaten to engulf even the words, these extraordinary poems remain tender, unforgettable and salt-sharp.

'A beautiful collection. Smith’s precise, unsentimental language evokes the different stages of losing a parent, all the while reminding us that heartbreak is a measure of love.'– Kamila Shamsie

About the author:

Caroline Smith trained as a sculptor at Goldsmiths College. She now lives in Wembley where she works with refugees. The Immigration Handbook was shortlisted for the Ted Hughes Award and translated into Italian. Smith is widely published in journals and anthologies. Her work has won prizes and awards. She has given readings at festivals and in universities around the world.