Is That a Bruise or a Tattoo?

sean burn is a writer, performer and outsider artist with a growing international reputation. he is actively involved in disability arts and was shortlisted for a dada fest award in 2009 for a body of work creatively tackling living with mental distress. he has had eight pamphlets of poetry and visual poetry published as well as two previous full-length collections of poetry, his Shearsman collection - is that a bruise or a tattoo? - being his third. his visual poetry pamphlet mo thunder was shortlisted for the michael marks award 2011. he has had three spoken word cds released, most recently speaksong (with musician gareth mitchell). he has also had three collections of his prose published, most recently molotovs happy hour. he is the author of eleven full-length plays as well as numerous shorter works and has twice received a peggy ramsay foundation award for his theatre. his last play - next swan down the river might be black - toured nationally, was shortlisted for the bbc's alfred bradley bursary award and was published by aurora metro. his thirty poetry films have received many screenings worldwide, as well as at tate modern and national film theatre studios, london. he regularly exhibits his visual poetry internationally. sean also composes soundscapes / soundmaps which he gives spoken word performances over.

Sean Burn's third full-length poetry collection ranges across art and sculpture, a Tuvan singer, man's impact on the Lake District, the disgrace of water privatisation, dance, America and Europe, and finishes with the title poem which is an intense transgender love story.