What We Are Given is a poetic exploration of the bonds which bind and break us. The things we inherit, who we are and how we become them. An examination of what it means to be human that is in equal parts tender and gritty. Ollie O’Neill’s poems navigate a series of emotions and relationships from romance to grief from family to friends. What We Are Given places everyday experiences under the microscope and allows us to understand how they come to be part of the bigger picture. It is unflinching in its honesty and intimacy - unafraid to embrace the dark whilst still leaving room for lightness.