Description
**Pre-orders only – published in September 2026**
In his debut pamphlet, Biff Smith finds humour, heartbreak and hard-won hope in the messiness of modern life. The poems in dance with the silence roam through failure, addiction, ageing, creativity and existential dread with wit, warmth and an unflinching eye for human frailty. By turns hilarious and deeply moving, this is poetry as a gallows laugh – a poetic swing from the chandeliers landing somewhere on the dark side of joy, resulting in a remarkable first collection from one of Scotland’s most compelling poetic voices.
Biff Smith is a singer-songwriter with the Glasgow band A New International, writing five studio albums, including “The Dark Carnival” as part of the hit theatre show in collaboration with Vanishing Point Theatre. He began writing and performing poetry as he was attracted by the idea of not having to carry a guitar. In 2025 he won both the Scottish and World Poetry Slam Championships, and in 2026 he was shortlisted for the Forward prize for best performed poem.
Dance with the silence is his debut publication and will be presented as an upcoming, feature-length, spoken word theatre show. Biff’s specialist subjects include joy, depression and existential dread. He enjoys fine wines and likes a good belly laugh.
