Feed the Beast by Pádraig Ó Tuama features poems which meditate on sexuality and religion. This breathtaking book charts the landscape into-and out of-the world of gay cure and reparative therapy. Having undergone treatments, therapies, and exorcisms for gagging the gay in him, Pádraig Ó Tuama pushes past gods and devils and searches for language that might offer safety. At the core of this collection is a breathtaking erasure poem written in response to the Vatican's statement on the blessing of same-sex unions. With dexterous use of form and voice, Feed the Beast explores registers of rage and resilience. Whether in parable, narrative or song, whether in tenderness or fear, the reader encounters poems that are honed, necessary and-finally-hopeful.

'We have always been imaginary, ' declares this mesmerising collection from Trinidadian writer Andre Bagoo. In prose poems that make use of the liminal qualities of the form - and anticipate the book's second half - readers travel across ideas of the bestiary as mythic repository and realist document of social critique. Trinidad and Tobago looms large, but so too writing, loving, and reckoning with subjugations through transformations. The collection's heart is an extended erasure of Henry James's The Beast in the Jungle, a gesture inspired by critical theorists such as Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick and Kevin Ohi. Releasing queer desire from within James's prose, there is something sensual, even romantic, about this incursion into source text, which sings against larger, global absences. 'Eventually, ' Bagoo triumphantly declares, 'we dream the real.'

Francofilaments by Eileen G'Sell is a poetic exploration of the intersections between Francophilia, feminism, and cinema. Infomed by her work as a culture critic, the collection is marked by a blend of sharp wit, inventive wordplay, and a candid voice that traverses themes of desire, sex, and loss. G'Sell's poems move with a rhythmic, almost cinematic quality, conjuring vivid imagery and unexpected juxtapositions that invite the reader into a world where the everyday and the extraordinary coalesce. With a deft hand, she captures the nuanced interplay of language, identity, and the ever-present allure of French culture, offering a fresh perspective on what it means to navigate modern womanhood.

The Mad Art of Doing Time by Scout Tzofiya Bolton is a raw and compelling exploration of life inside and outside the prison walls, woven with the complexities of mental illness and the often-overlooked human stories within the justice system. Through a blend of narrative and poetry, Bolton offers an unflinching look at the harsh realities of incarceration, capturing the fragmented thoughts and emotions of a mind in turmoil. This book challenges perceptions and invites readers into the nuanced and deeply personal experiences of those living through the cracks in the system.

The Last Song is a poignant tribute to one of the most beloved bands of our time. This book takes readers on a journey through the heart and soul of Frightened Rabbit's music, exploring themes of love, loss, and the human condition with raw emotion and lyrical beauty. Each page is a powerful reflection on the band's songs, offering a new perspective on the music that has touched so many lives. Whether you're a die-hard fan or discovering Frightened Rabbit for the first time, The Last Song is a must-read for anyone who appreciates the power of music to move us and inspire us.

In Introduction to Cloud Care, Laura Theis blends lyrical precision with a deep sense of wonder, crafting poetry that invites readers into a world where the mundane and the magical coexist seamlessly. Her poems explore themes of nature's quiet power, the enigma of memory, and the complexity of transformation. Often laced with humor and profound tenderness, they evoke both intimacy and expansiveness. With a voice both contemplative and playful, Theis reimagines self-discovery and connection in ways that are unexpectedly illuminating. This collection celebrates the beauty of what is seen and the irresistible allure of what lies hidden.

Video games and poetry are unlikely bedfellows, if video games are one of the most popular imaginative forms in contemporary culture, then poetry real poetry as apposed to the kind you find by the sad flowers in service stations] could be one of the most neglected. Hit Point Green, edited by Matthew Haigh and Aaron Kent, shows where these two disparate worlds meet and how good they are for each other. Featuring a selection of the finest voices in contemporary poetry, Hit Point Green will have you gripped until game over.

An American Book of the Dead: A Wild West Séance is a unique Acid Western set in the mid to late 1800s whose psychedelia stems not from drugs but from the spirit world. When spirit photographer, Ebenezer Elijah Henry is confronted by an enigmatic stranger late one night in his Kansas studio, a peculiar tale is summoned through an impromptu séance that culminates in one of the most arresting photographs ever taken. This is the story of Robert McGee: possible scalping survivor, possible fraud, and how his image was invented by an ambitious photographer already imaging Buffalo Bill's Wild West.

RADIOACTIVE DREAMS, HALLUCINATED MEMORIES, LOVE SONGS TO THE SWAMP.

The kaiju that stalk our imaginations and flatten our cities are deep reservoirs of meaning. Wonder, dread, the sublime - the giant reptilian feet slamming through concrete, the radioactive fire melting steel, humanity's doom made vicious, eldritch flesh.

Collecting poems and short stories about giant monsters from Godzilla to Gorgo and everywhere in between, Devastation Songs is an essential companion to your monster movie of choice.

A potion of proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated to Freedom From Torture, a charity who work with torture survivors and refugees.

Víctor Rodríguez Núñez's prize-winning despegue / departure is a book about poetry, place, and belonging. Its rich, challenging, and subversive sonnets reveal the complexities and possibilities of Cuban contemporary poetry to a new English-language audience. Rodríguez Núñez speaks to a global generation of exiles and those whose hearts remain forever elsewhere, those who have found another home. despegue / departure is an original, inventive and unflinching examination of what it means to leave, to be left behind, and of our ability to stay.

Dimmet by Rob Miles is a profound exploration of twilight spaces-those physical and emotional edgelands where meaning shifts and boundaries blur. These finely wrought poems balance delicacy with depth, capturing fleeting moments of stillness, nature, and human connection. Miles' poetry makes the familiar strange, drawing readers into a world of sharp contrasts-light and shadow, joy and loss. His lyrical voice is both intimate and expansive, reflecting on the subtle intersections of time, memory, and place. Dimmet is a testament to the power of poetry to transform everyday life into something extraordinary.

Video games and poetry are unlikely bedfellows, if video games are one of the most popular imaginative forms in contemporary culture, then poetry real poetry as apposed to the kind you find by the sad flowers in service stations] could be one of the most neglected. Hit Point Red, edited by Aaron Kent and Matthew Haigh, shows where these two disparate worlds meet and how good they are for each other. Featuring a selection of the finest voices in contemporary poetry, Hit Point Red will have you gripped until game over.

POETRY BOOK SOCIETY SPRING RECOMMENDATION 2021

Yousif M Qasmiyeh's Writing The Camp is an exceptional, essential collection drawn from the poet's experience of the Baddawi refugee camp in Lebanon. The poetry moves beyond the observational into a philosophical meditation on the existential nature of place. Qasmiyeh asks Where is time?, crossing footprints of Derrida, To experience is to advance by navigating, to walk by traversing. Writing The Camp is a brave and beautiful work, one which will surely be of historical importance.

Everyone is Everyone Except You, the honest and hilarious debut poetry collection from one of Aotearoa's most charismatic poets, begins as a eulogy but opens out to a profound acceptance for the less-than-glamorous things that populate a life: failed relationships and confused intimacy; bad advice and poor preparation for manhood. Along the way, unexpected joys emerge, like eloping to Carterton in a Corolla, or getting it on to the memory of the All Blacks. Alternately comical and insightful, Jordan Hamel reinvents the time-honoured portrait-of-the-artist for a millennial sensibility.

Inspired by the harrowing events surrounding the often overlooked Ballymurphy Massacre in the north of Ireland, Stephanie Ní Thiarnaigh's powerful poetry collection, The Weight of a Feather, delves into the depths of truth and justice. In 2021, an inquest in Belfast finally shed light on these tragic deaths, revealing the families' nearly five-decade struggle for justice amidst persistent disinformation and propaganda from the British military. The title of this collection echoes an ancient Egyptian belief: upon death, a person's heart, symbolizing their life's deeds, was weighed against the feather of Maat, the goddess of truth and justice. This concept weaves through the poems, urging readers to reflect on the nature of truth and to weigh the evidence, consider the human cost of conflict, and make their own judgments.

The Southern Eye: Co-Seeing Displacements delves into the layered and poignant experiences of refugees, intertwining photography and prose to explore themes of memory, identity, and belonging. The book is a collaborative effort, blending the perspectives of Palestinian poet Yousif M. Qasmiyeh, migration scholar Elena Fiddian-Qasmiyeh, and photographer Saiful Huq Omi. Through powerful imagery and reflective narratives, the authors navigate the complexities of displacement, capturing moments that reveal the human condition in the face of loss and survival. This work not only documents the visible traces of refugee life but also evokes the unseen emotional landscapes that shape the lived experiences of those who are displaced.

Noriaki by Endre Ruset, translated by Harry Man, is a mesmerizing poetry collection that captures the daring spirit of ski jumping through a series of concise, haiku-like poems. Drawing on the rich tradition of Japanese and Norwegian poetry, Ruset's work pays tribute to the legendary ski jumper Noriaki Kasai, whose extraordinary career and resilience are depicted with both reverence and lyrical precision. This book isn't just for sports enthusiasts but for anyone who appreciates the intersection of athleticism and art, offering readers an exhilarating experience that mirrors the thrill and beauty of Kasai's jumps.

Mind's Eye: Notelets & Dialogues in Tribute to Paul Celan by Carol Rumens is a profound exploration of memory, language, and trauma. In this compelling collection, Rumens engages in a dialogue with the life and work of the poet Paul Celan, whose poetry was deeply influenced by his experiences during the Holocaust and his struggle with mental illness. Through poems that range from intimate 'notelets' to imagined conversations between Celan and his unfinished work, Rumens offers a tribute that reflects on the fragility of life, the endurance of art, and the complexities of survival. This collection is an homage to one of the 20th century's most enigmatic poets, bringing new perspectives on grief, displacement, and the transformative power of words.

A young employee of GCHQ sweeps the internet for your secrets. Disappointed, they turn to poetry. Disappeared, their poems somehow end up in the lap of Steven J. Fowler, then into the hands of a journalist, then into the gloves of a less vulnerable benefactor, to reach your eyes, here and now, in this book, to be almost ignored, as most things are. Goblins is as much a poetry collection as a sardonic belly tickle for the rank underside of our online reality. Four long weird poems, each named after a particularly rampant surveillance program, considers the paradoxes of life lived in the age of the internet, when the line between public and private disintegrates and inexorable harvesting of our digital lives is a given. Sinister and playful, ambiguous and precise, these poems ponder the consequences for the watchers and the watched.

Psycho Viridian offers an intense exploration into the discovery and effects of PSY-V-E, a potent drug synthesized from three hallucinogenic plants. This experimental journey, led by Matthew Kinlin and Callum Leckie, delves deep into the mind-bending realities brought forth by their experiences. The drug not only fractures their perception of reality but also connects them with Obidos, an alien entity shrouded in mystery. As they navigate vivid visions and interdimensional encounters, Psycho Viridian becomes a profound study of altered consciousness and the unknown-merging art and research into a haunting narrative of cosmic and psychic discovery.