At the centre of Emery's third collection are a series of narrative poems that reveal an astonishing range of personas: from the set of ''Mission Impossible'', an extra from ''Gojira'' - even Charles Bukowski turns up to take a leak. There are Pennine journeys, war zones, the Norfolk coast, 80s riots, art galleries, bad hotel rooms and crazy conventions. Even the secret life of peas. Interspersed among all these are poems concerning the mysterious 'M'. It's six years since Emery's ''Radio Nostalgia'' appeared with its dark, splintered vocabulary and background of the War on Terror. This new volume presents Emery in a lighter and more playful mood, taking pleasure in the diversity of other lives. Technically, it is an even bigger departure, as Emery finds buoyant language to tackle his dramatic narratives. Tonally distinct from his earlier works, ''The Departure'' is an unmissable read by one of the UK's more maverick poets.