"OLD age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light."

These lines from Dylan Thomas came to mind after speaking to Michael Horovitz about his recently published epic poem, A New Waste Land.

Horovitz has lived long enough to see many changes in society and he does not like what he sees.

The dying of the light in this case refers to the death of political rectitude; the abandonment of certain democratic freedoms; and the painful collapse of Horovitz's own trust in our leaders.

A New Waste Land takes T S Eliot's The Waste Land as a starting point to tear into the hubris of Blair's Britain and uncover the betrayal of its people by a new breed of politicians.

While Eliot's poem begins with The Burial of the Dead, Horovitz begins with The Burial of the Living and the lines: "May seemed the kindest month, breeding roses out of the dying land."

He is referring to the hope felt by all who voted for New Labour (the red rose) in May 1997: "I wanted there to be a change but after a few months I realised it would be a change for the worse," he said.

"There was less redistribution of wealth. Blair was just sucking up to his cronies. I started looking more closely at the international news and realised the wastefulness and dishonesty of western leaders."

The book is unique. It is like the public version of a political poet's notebook. Inside are photographs, paintings, cartoons and detailed notes through which the poetry traces a merciless, unflinching, satirical path.

Michael Horovitz will be giving a poetry reading and slide show to launch A New Waste Land, at The Space, Lansdown, on Friday, November 16, at 7.30pm. Tickets cost £7.50/£5 from InPrint books or on the door.