‘Pem-People’ is after the community space in Peckham where a memorial was held for Naomi Hersi, a black trans-woman who was found murdered in 2018.

‘Pace’ was the pen name of Thomas Crosby, a young poet who passed in 2016. His name and memory is spray painted on a shopfront in East London.

‘Sentence’ is after Khadija Saye, a victim of the Grenfell fire.

‘Ark II’ references a BBC article from 3 November 2015 entitled ‘Met Police “halted probe” into killer Michael Smithyman’s confessions’ , as well as the Grenfell Tower burning effigy, a video of which emerged in 2018.

‘Blank’ borrows lines from an article in the Manchester Weekly News, ‘Please Let Blaze Hero Stay in UK Petition’, March 16 2017.

Acknowledgements

An early version of Surge first appeared in Beacon of Hope (New Beacon, 2016). An essay containing ‘Songbook’ was published by Poetry Review. ‘Peg’ first appeared in English Breakfast (Math Paper Press, 2013). ‘Proof’ originally appeared in Wasafiri Magazine. These poems were first read at the Last Word Festival at the Roundhouse in Camden, the Hay Festival in Segovia, Spain, and Contains Strong Language in Hull.

This book is based on the archives collected by family members, friends and activists who survived the New Cross Fire. I’d like to acknowledge the thirteen dead as well as the fourteenth who took his life later on: Patricia Johnson, Yvonne Ruddock, Paul Ruddock, Glen Powell, Gerry Francis, Owen Thompson, Andrew Gooding, Lloyd Hall, Anthony Berbeck, Lillian Henry, Peter Campbell, Humphrey Brown, Patrick Cummings, Steve Collins. I have listened to the words and worked from the actions of Sybil Phoenix, Darcus Howe, John La Rose, Vron Ware, and countless people who informally discussed their memories of that period with me after readings.

I would also like to acknowledge the numerous groups who worked to create the memorials and events I draw on in this book. The walks and demonstrations I attended, in particular the silent march for Grenfell, were made possible by the activism and dedication of others, including the Grenfell Action Group and Justice 4 Grenfell.

Thanks to: