For a poet with a gift for crafting words into barbs Stevie Smith lives a relatively conventional life. Sheltered in a London suburb she spends her days engaged in tedious housework crafting verse and conversing with her aunt. But while her body may be committed to drudgery Stevie's mind is constantly trying to break free which causes her to rail against religion and middle-class values and prevents her from finding happiness with a man interested in her.