Girlhood

Julia Copus' new collection, Girlhood, explores the shifting power balance between things on the verge of becoming and the forces that threaten to destroy them. It features lost, censored, or disparaged voices speaking out from secluded spaces and moments of hidden history, and concludes with a sequence set in a psychiatric hospital that reimagines Jacques Lacan's treatment of his most famous case study, Marguerite Pantaine.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 88 pages
Publication date: 07 April 2022
Publisher: Faber & Faber

Julia Copus' Girlhood is a collection of transgressed boundaries and seductive veneers, exploring the shifting power balance between things on the verge of becoming and the forces that threaten to destroy them. The poems evoke a sense of encountering filmic installations, with lost, censored, or disparaged voices speaking out from secluded spaces and moments of hidden history. The collection concludes with a sequence set in a psychiatric hospital that reimagines Jacques Lacan's treatment of his most famous case study, Marguerite Pantaine, questioning who is more delusional - doctor or patient. Like other victims in this exhilarating collection, Marguerite may initially appear vanquished, but a closer look reveals how little of herself she has really surrendered.

Winner of the Derek Walcott Prize for Poetry


Julia Copus' Girlhood

Girlhood, the latest collection from Julia Copus, delves into the realm of transgressed boundaries and captivating veneers. With an insatiable curiosity, it relentlessly exposes the ever-shifting power dynamics between entities teetering on the brink of existence and the forces that seek to obliterate them. The poems transport readers into a series of filmic installations, meticulously curated by episode within a gallery-like setting. From the confines of a professor's office and a deserted department store, to the hidden corners of kitchens, bedrooms, hallways, and upstairs windows, these voices emerge, speaking forth from moments of obscurity and obscured history.

Through the lens of changing weathers, fidgety shadows, and the eerie witching hour, the poems capture the essence of human experiences, both mundane and extraordinary. They delve into the depths of the human psyche, exploring the complexities of desire, vulnerability, and the search for self-identity. Girlhood concludes with a sequence set in a psychiatric hospital, a daring reimagining of Jacques Lacan's treatment of his renowned case study, Marguerite Pantaine. This dramatic meeting of minds sparks a profound inquiry into the nature of delusion and the boundaries between the sane and the insane.

In this exhilarating collection, Julia Copus challenges our perceptions of reality and invites us to explore the darker corners of the human psyche. Through the voices of Marguerite Pantaine and others, she explores the complexities of surrender, resilience, and the indomitable human spirit. Girlhood is a testament to the power of poetry to illuminate the hidden truths of existence and to offer a glimpse into the depths of the human mind.

Weight: 116g
Dimension: 131 x 196 x 12 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780571351077
Edition number: Main