Bump-Starting The Hearse

There are titles that politely introduce themselves, and then there is Bump-Starting the Hearse, which arrives like a raised eyebrow and refuses to explain. Kit Wright’s collection does exactly what the title suggests: it nudges the solemn into motion, gives the serious a shove, and finds a peculiar kind of life in places that might otherwise sit quietly behaving themselves.

This is poetry, but not the sort that stands at a distance looking dignified. Wright writes with wit, rhythm, and a sharp sense of the absurd, moving easily between the playful and the poignant. One moment you are smiling at a turn of phrase; the next, you realise the poem has slipped something more thoughtful into your pocket while you weren’t paying attention.

There is a strong sense of performance here too — poems that feel as though they would quite happily read themselves aloud if given half a chance. They have energy, humour, and that slightly subversive delight in taking ordinary situations and tilting them just enough to show their strangeness.

The 1983 Hutchinson edition, in good condition, is a solid, well-aged copy of a collection that has lost none of its spark. It’s the sort of book that doesn’t demand to be read in one solemn sitting, but instead invites dipping, revisiting, and the occasional surprised laugh.

Ideal for readers who enjoy poetry with personality, intelligence, and a willingness to be a little mischievous. Bump-Starting the Hearse proves that even the most serious subjects can, with the right nudge, get moving again.

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