Pure Filth

Pure Filth is Aidan Mathews' fifth collection of poetry, exploring themes of career, love, God, art, the pandemic, suburban Dublin, Irish landscape, history, and the Holocaust. Mathews' poetry is a testament to his personal power, addressing the cloister, the locked ward, the social lepers, and the captains of the ship of state.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 160 pages
Publication date: 02 November 2023
Publisher: The Lilliput Press Ltd

Pure Filth,Aidan Mathews' fifth collection of poetry,continues the trajectory of his previous works such as Windfalls (Dolmen, 1977), Minding Ruth (Gallery, 1983), According to the Small Hours (Cape, 1998), and Strictly No Poetry (Lilliput, 2017). At its core, the collection delves into profound reflections on a career, as well as enduring loves for individuals, God, and art. Throughout, themes such as the pandemic, suburban Dublin, the Irish landscape and history, and the Holocaust interweave, creating a tapestry of poetic exploration. Mathews' critic and biographer, David Wheatley, aptly remarks: "It is not an exaggeration to say that Mathews does not have themes so much as obsessions. If his Catholic faith serves as the foundational basis for his work, sexuality, mental illness, and the Holocaust recur in poem after poem, stitching together the ordinary and the extraordinary." Mathews' poetry stands as a testament to immense personal power, resonating within both the confines of the cloister and the locked wards of mental institutions. It speaks to the marginalized and the powerful, challenging societal norms and navigating the complexities of human experience. By synthesizing the sexual, sacred, and secular, Mathews' poetry achieves a profound synthesis, offering a profound testament to the human condition.

Weight: 204g
Dimension: 130 x 199 x 18 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781843518754