This evening (Tuesday 20th June 2023 at 7.30pm), I’m interviewing Elspeth Wilson about her debut poetry collection for the London Independent Short Story Prize. So, in order to celebrate this collection, I thought I’d do a mini-review without star ratings (I mean, how on earth do you award stars to poetry!?).

I always struggle to know if I’m interpreting poetry the “right” way and a lot of the time it feels inaccessible to someone like me. However, this collection feels like it’s written for everyone and anyone, even if you’re not a poetry afficionado. I loved the pop-culture references, with references to The Sims, One Direction and Twilight, and the poignant, nostalgic tone, which made this collection feel relatable.

The whole collection feels like a heady, hazy summer holiday and I believe there is a consistent protagonist – a teenage girl exploring her sexuality and losing her virginity c.2008. With the overarching themes of sex, love and longing, there is also an undertone of fear. The oppressive weight of the heat and possibility for it to harm (burning skin imagery) is palpable, yet there’s a sense of freedom and possibility. This fear is not just about the lover’s potential to break our protagonist’s heart, it’s about society’s reaction to LGBTQ+ relationships and homophobia. Brought to the fore by the final poem, entitled ‘Pride’, I loved how the poem explored this gently and would love to share the final line.

“Not knowing that the first step against their tactics is to reach across the soft fabric of the seats and clasp her hand. The first time is in darkness but the next will be in light.”

I’m not well-versed in poetry comparisons but I’d recommend this to fans of:

• ‘The Fat Black Woman’s Poems’ by Grace Nichols
• ‘A Room Called Earth’ by Madeleine Ryan
• ‘Slug’ by Hollie McNish