Information Desk: An Epic

Schiff’s “epic” is epic less in battles than in attention: to institutions, to bodies in public space, to the strange theatre of modern life. The collection is formally adventurous, using long lines and accumulating detail to create momentum. Schiff balances wit with seriousness, letting humour sharpen rather than soften the critique. The poems feel contemporary in the best sense—alive to language as it is spoken and marketed and institutionalised. There’s a strong ethical current: who is served, who is watched, who is made legible. The title becomes a metaphor for mediation—how information is filtered and how people are managed. Schiff’s observational power is relentless, and the intelligence is bracing. Yet there are moments of tenderness and vulnerability that keep the voice human. The book can be demanding, but it’s also thrillingly alive. You finish feeling that “epic” can be a day at a desk—if you look closely enough. A bold, unforgettable collection.