'Wilkinson employs a direct approach [in For Real] in terms of trying to unravel or describe complex things. Don Paterson once said that poets have "a greater obligation to clarity the more complex the idea they're trying to communicate." Paterson's rationale can also be applied to Wilkinson's poems and in particular the pamphlet's final poem, 'The Door' ... The door itself is real, albeit "bricked up" as old windows and doors sometimes are, but the door also potentially serves as "a portal between worlds." We could say that this is the essence of much of Wilkinson's poetry: to serve as a "portal" between the real and the possible to create a sense of truth.'
The rest of the review, in which Maria Taylor assesses four smith|doorstop pamphlets, can be read in the current issue of Under the Radar. For Real is available through this website, or on Amazon.