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Them!

A bold exploration of trans identity through poetry

Harry Josephine Giles author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Pan Macmillan

Published:6th Jun '24

Should be back in stock very soon

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Them! cover

This innovative poetry collection, Them!, by Harry Josephine Giles, explores trans life through work, technology, and ecology, blending emotion with sharp social commentary.

In Them! by Harry Josephine Giles, readers are invited into an exuberant collection of poems that explore the multifaceted experiences of trans life in contemporary society. The collection delves into themes of work, technology, and ecology, offering a rich tapestry of insights and reflections. Giles skillfully excavates the lexicon of sex and gender, infusing her verses with irony, fury, and a sense of possibility, creating a dynamic reading experience that resonates deeply with the audience.

The visual poetics present in Them! enhance the emotional and intellectual engagement of the reader, as Giles finds innovative ways to express the struggles and triumphs of identity. Through the voices of 'reasonable people' and bureaucrats, she captures the essence of modern dilemmas, from the disillusionment of a bewildered worker grappling with neoliberalism to the haunting presence of a spectral guest at a dinner party. Each poem serves as a reflection on the tension between artistic reverie and the surrounding noise of activism.

Giles posits that poetry can transform rage into something vibrant and alive, offering that spark to others. In Them!, she draws on a multitude of influences, wielding subversive wit to create a necessary poetic intervention for this generation. This collection is not just a reflection of personal experience, but a broader commentary on the complexities of existence, making it a vital contribution to contemporary poetry.

With wit and strange beauty . . . Giles celebrates an explosive efflorescence of forms, from prose poetry and erasures to dazzling visual poems, songs, photo-poems, a hilarious flow chart concerning gender reassignment protocol, and minimalist nature poems . . . A bold and inimitable tour de force -- Philip Terry * Guardian *
Skilful and seditious poems . . . furious in [their] humanity and exceptional range of expression * Poetry Book Society *
A complex collection – inventive, spiky and in possession of fiery energy -- Vona Groarke * Irish Times *

ISBN: 9781035025213

Dimensions: 197mm x 153mm x 10mm

Weight: 126g

112 pages