I Am The Dead, Who, You Take Care of Me

The poems in I Am the Dead, Who, You Take Care of Me explore the relationship between language and the living and the dead, using necrosocial biomes to explore the past's impact on the land. Through his work in lyric poetry, Anthony McCann demonstrates how poetry can be a devotion that is both unnerving and enlivening.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 64 pages
Publication date: 21 December 2023
Publisher: Wave Books

The poems in I am the dead, who, you take care of me, delve into the profound connection between language and the realms of the living and the dead with a tender attention and a keenly embodied curiosity. Following the poet's recent exploration of the historical and ecological conflicts of the American West in prose, these poems emerge as necrosocial biomes, where the living adopt a state of playfulness while the dead retaliate. Within these intricate tapestries, the past is revealed as a perfect copy of the land, yet it carries a sense of panic akin to the anxieties of meat consumption.

By positioning himself among lyric poets like Jack Spicer, John Ashbery, and Amiri Baraka, Anthony McCann unveils the remarkable capacity of poetry to be both unsettling and enlivening, serving as a form of devotion. In his words, "I want life, but for the living," he expresses a longing for a world that cherishes the vitality of life while acknowledging the complexities and challenges posed by the human experience.

These poems oscillate between playful, mournful, and darkly humorous tones, creating a rich and multifaceted narrative. They leave a lasting impact on the reader, empowering them with a sense of resilience and courage in the face of mortality. Through their intricate language and evocative imagery, the poems in I am the dead, who, you take care of me, invite us to explore the boundaries between life and death, and to embrace the complexities of our shared human existence.

Weight: 100g
Dimension: 217 x 271 x 14 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781950268887