A slew of recent poetry collections has recently hit the market, each offering a unique perspective on the world around us. Tom Paulin's Namanlagh is a poignant exploration of depression, recovery, and the shifting tides of Northern Irish history.
In this 10th collection, Paulin strips away the ornamentation, revealing lyrics that are more affecting for their simplicity. His reflections on politics and society take on a newfound bite, while his private moments shine with a quiet power: "Heed my cadences then and live only for now. / Don't ever bother about tomorrow. / Just pluck, today, life's full-blooded roses."
Sarah Howe's Foretokens marks a return to form for the TS Eliot-winning poet. Ten years since her debut Loop of Jade, Howe has reaffirmed her keen intelligence and ability to layer detail into her work. Her investigations tackle big subjects – genetics, time's relativity, parenting – with an anger that brings a welcome sharpness to her tone: "child of a hoarder / I am not immune / to this mania this malaise / this inherited dream / of an archive / so complete nothing / could ever hurt again".
Joelle Taylor's Maryville is a sweeping history of lesbian culture and LGBTQ+ rights, told through the lens of four butch lesbian characters. The poems are urgent and memorable, with Taylor's tenderness for her protagonists shining through: "inside / women have left their breasts at home / & brought someone else's teeth / femmes wear their hair / like a borough wears a riot".
Nikita Gill's Hekate is a verse novel that retells the life of the Greek goddess. With fast-flowing tercets and prose poems, it's a propulsive read, though at times the needs of exposition can flatten the poetry into flatness.
Finally, Phoebe Giannisi's Goatsong is a compilation of three recent books, united by a style that is rigorously intellectual and focused on the physical. While Giannisi's work may not be to everyone's taste – its oddity and opacity are off-putting – it is still worth persisting with, particularly in light of its important message: "I say take me / in your embrace / in your violence / and gently / let me go".
In this 10th collection, Paulin strips away the ornamentation, revealing lyrics that are more affecting for their simplicity. His reflections on politics and society take on a newfound bite, while his private moments shine with a quiet power: "Heed my cadences then and live only for now. / Don't ever bother about tomorrow. / Just pluck, today, life's full-blooded roses."
Sarah Howe's Foretokens marks a return to form for the TS Eliot-winning poet. Ten years since her debut Loop of Jade, Howe has reaffirmed her keen intelligence and ability to layer detail into her work. Her investigations tackle big subjects – genetics, time's relativity, parenting – with an anger that brings a welcome sharpness to her tone: "child of a hoarder / I am not immune / to this mania this malaise / this inherited dream / of an archive / so complete nothing / could ever hurt again".
Joelle Taylor's Maryville is a sweeping history of lesbian culture and LGBTQ+ rights, told through the lens of four butch lesbian characters. The poems are urgent and memorable, with Taylor's tenderness for her protagonists shining through: "inside / women have left their breasts at home / & brought someone else's teeth / femmes wear their hair / like a borough wears a riot".
Nikita Gill's Hekate is a verse novel that retells the life of the Greek goddess. With fast-flowing tercets and prose poems, it's a propulsive read, though at times the needs of exposition can flatten the poetry into flatness.
Finally, Phoebe Giannisi's Goatsong is a compilation of three recent books, united by a style that is rigorously intellectual and focused on the physical. While Giannisi's work may not be to everyone's taste – its oddity and opacity are off-putting – it is still worth persisting with, particularly in light of its important message: "I say take me / in your embrace / in your violence / and gently / let me go".
i've been waiting for ages to get my hands on them. tom paulin's namanlagh is literally the most emotional thing i've ever read, it's like he's speaking straight to your soul 
and sarah howe's foretokens is a total game changer, her writing is so intelligent and layered it's like a puzzle 
i'm also loving joelle taylor's maryville, it's like she's giving us the history of lesbian culture we never knew we needed 
and nikita gill's hekate is like wow, the way she tells the story of hekate is so captivating 
but phoebe giannisi's goatsong...hmm idk about this one 
it's just a bit too weird for me but i can appreciate the effort 
overall though these collections are giving me LIFE and i'm never looking back 
. Sarah Howe's Foretokens is like a masterclass in complexity - I love how she tackles big topics without making it feel too heavy 
. And Joelle Taylor's Maryville is like a breath of fresh air, celebrating the beauty of butch women and their stories 
. What I'm curious about is how these collections will resonate with different readers - will they find themselves in the stories? 
tom paulin's namanlagh is giving me all the feels, his simplicity is actually really powerful. and sarah howe's foretokens is like a breath of fresh air, her intelligence shines through in every line 
nikita gill's hekate is like a wild ride, i'm not sure about the verse novel thing but i can appreciate its ambition 
it's so cool to see these women making poetry and history together, we need more of this 
. I tried to look up some info on Paulin and it took like 30 seconds just to load a single page. What's going on with these updates, anyway? Can we please just have a simple search bar that works properly for once? 
i mean, tompaulin's namanlagh is like totally deep about depression & recovery, but in a super simple way that hits u right in the feels 
and phoebe giannisi's goatsong is just... unique 
i mean, if u like that sorta thing. anywayz, these collections are def worth checking out! 
these new collections are giving me life and i'm obsessed with sarah howe's foretokens - her words on genetics and time are so relatable, you feel? and tom paulin's namanlagh is really hitting me hard, his honesty about depression is super brave 
, these poets are giving it their all 
. at least Phoebe Giannisi is being true to herself, you know? her poetry's like drinking a strong cup of coffee - not everyone will like it, but if you're awake enough to appreciate it, then good for you 
. But seriously, her collection is really sharp, it cuts to the bone. And Joelle Taylor's Maryville is all about LGBTQ+ rights, which is super important - we need more voices like hers speaking out.
.
. anyway, I gotta give it to Tom Paulin though, Namanlagh is fire 
. i mean, all those tercets can be kinda boring to read after a while 
. They make you think, feel and maybe even challenge some of your own perspectives 
!
still a thought-provoking read tho