Them!

Harry Josephine Giles' Them! is a vibrant collection of poems about trans life, exploring work, technology, and ecology through the lenses of sex and gender. With subversive wit, Giles excavates the lexicon of sex and gender, creating a dynamic reading experience. She weighs the artist's need for reverie against the noise of activism, asking how to be both.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 112 pages
Publication date: 06 June 2024
Publisher: Pan Macmillan

"Them!" is a vibrant collection of poems by Harry Josephine Giles that explores the experiences of trans individuals in contemporary society, focusing on themes of work, technology, and ecology. Through the lens of these three domains, Giles delves into the complexities of sex and gender, employing irony, anger, and possibility to reclaim and redefine the language surrounding these topics.

The visual poetics of "Them!" create an exceptionally dynamic reading experience as Giles innovatively explores new modes of expression, ranging from singing to shouting and striking in the spaces between what is deemed possible. The collection features a diverse range of voices, including those of reasonable individuals and bureaucrats, as well as a bewildered worker who contemplates the horrors of neoliberalism. Additionally, a group of women at a quiet dinner encounter a punitive, spectral guest, adding another layer of complexity to the narrative.

Throughout the collection, Giles grapples with the conflict between the artist's need for reverie and the noise of activism that surrounds them. She questions whether one must set aside the struggle to create or to simply hear a bird. "Poetry," Giles asserts, "is the best way I know to magic the rage I feel into something more alive, and to offer that spark to others."

Drawing on a wide range of influences, Giles employs subversive wit to make powerful statements and challenge societal norms. "Them!" is a zestful poetic intervention from one of this generation's most necessary poets, offering a bold and inimitable tour-de-force that resonates with readers of all backgrounds.

Weight: 132g
Dimension: 197 x 152 x 8 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781035025213