'Devil in my Shoes"" is a highly readable collection of poems by a younger Maori writer, already known and admired in indigenous literatures circles for his short stories. Patterns of imagery and a strong single voice give some unity to a very varied selection of poems presented in four parts, all individual in inspiration, but drawing creatively on extensive reading and knowledge of earlier poets. A natural lyrical impulse produces some lovely lines and rhythms, but there is also a harsh and angry speaking voice confronting political and social injustice. Some powerful love poems are matched by snippets of domestic life or glimpses of tough times in the sleazier parts of town. These contrasts and counterpoints give the collection its distinctive character and its very real strength.