Poetry and political satire join forces in Cold Comfort, Cold Concrete: Poems and Satires, a new collection by writer Scott Kendrick.

To emphasise the two-books-in-one approach, the book has two front covers and no back cover - open one side and it's poetry, turn it over and it's a book of satires.Poetry and political satire join forces in Cold Comfort, Cold Concrete: Poems and Satires, a new collection by writer Scott Kendrick.

To emphasise the two-books-in-one approach, the book has two front covers and no back cover - open one side and it's poetry, turn it over and it's a book of satires.Kendrick's rhyming and rhythmic poetry is unusual in this day and age when free verse reigns supreme, but that didn't stop him from twice winning the Wellington Poetry Slam.

In fact, his strong rhyme and rhythm, combined with the contemporary nature of his subject matter (student loans, world politics, materialistic culture, cricket and, of course, love) and frequent humour, is what makes his poetry so enjoyable and so unique.

He'd always used humour in his poetry, but in 2001 Kendrick turned his hand to writing satire. He founded the underground satirical newspaper The Babylon Express because, after lamenting the sorry state of the media in New Zealand, a friend suggested he start his own newspaper.

The satires from The Babylon Express, which are reprinted in Cold Comfort, Cold Concrete so they can be enjoyed by a wider audience, are written in the style of newspaper articles.

They cover such topics as the Brian-Drain ("412 Brians leave NZ in six-month period"), Wellington's coffee crisis and how to get your poetic licence.

Kendrick, whose first collection Rhyme Before Reason was published in 2001, isn't your typical poet. He's spent the last decade or so working on building sites, while also studying for his BA in political science and media studies and a Diploma of Publishing.

Cold Comfort, Cold Concrete: Poems & Satires is available from selected bookshops, or can be purchased directly from the publisher at seraphpress@paradise.net.nz.