Jacob Polley was born in 1975 in Carlisle, Cumbria, where he lives now. He holds an English degree from Lancaster University and an MA in Creative Writing. His poems were originally published in Cumbria County Council pamphlets. He became artist in residence at his local newspaper where he wrote and published a poem a day for three months and later a weekly poem for Cumberland News. He had two poems in Faber’s 1998 publication, First Pressing. In 2002 he won the BBC Radio 4/Arts Council of England ‘First Verse’ Award and an Eric Gregory Award. The Brink is his first collection.