What Small Sound

In her second collection of poems, Francesca Bell explores the complexities of being a mother, a woman, and a citizen in a world filled with iniquities and peril. Using metaphor and music, she offers an exacting view of the audiologists booth and the locked ward, as well as the private, lonely life of the body and its tender generosities. The book explores themes of love, shelter, and healing, and how it pieces us back together.

Format: Hardback
Length: 96 pages
Publication date: 22 June 2023
Publisher: Red Hen Press

Francesca Bell's second collection of poems, What Small Sound, delves into the profound complexities of being a mother in a nation where the prevalence of guns vastly outnumbers the number of children, where women face the harrowing reality of being raped every two minutes, and where the world is plagued by injustices and peril. Through her captivating and evocative poetry, Bell offers a raw and unflinching portrayal of the audiologist's booth and the confines of the locked ward, as she grapples with the gradual loss of her own hearing and the encroachment of mental illness upon her family. This book is a tapestry of sorrows, yet it also contains moments of solace and resilience, documenting the private, solitary existence of the body as well as its tender acts of kindness.

In What Small Sound, Bell explores the multifaceted nature of love, delving into its protective and anchoring qualities, as well as its capacity to break and heal us. She questions the nature of love and its ability to transcend the boundaries of time, space, and circumstance, reminding us of its profound power to connect and transform. Through her poetic lens, Bell offers a poignant meditation on the complexities of motherhood, the weight of societal expectations, and the resilience of the human spirit.

The poems in What Small Sound are rich in metaphor and music, creating a sensory experience that transports the reader into the heart of the speaker's world. Bell's use of imagery and sensory details brings the reader intimately into the experiences of motherhood, loss, and healing, allowing them to feel the weight of the speaker's emotions and experiences. The collection is unflinching in its gaze, offering a raw and honest portrayal of the human condition.

What Small Sound is a testament to the power of poetry to explore the deepest truths of the human experience and to offer solace and healing in the face of adversity. Bell's poetic voice is powerful and evocative, and her words resonate with readers on a profound level. This collection is a must-read for anyone who seeks to understand the complexities of love, motherhood, and the human condition, and for those who appreciate the beauty and power of poetry to illuminate the darkness.

Weight: 318g
Dimension: 160 x 237 x 17 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781636280790