I promise that I did not deliberately cosplay as the cover of this book. Honest! That said, it’s a beautiful book…and today’s poem is by Cecilia Knapp from her ridiculously powerful collection Peach Pig. I’m fairly sure I sit outside the demographic most likely to dig into these poems as they explore what it is to be a woman today, a deep dive Cecilia does with a forensic eye that shines a light on relationships with the self, across generations and with the place in which we grow. That said, they are written with a universality and beauty that speaks to anyone and everyone who has lived and listened and let themselves feel the weight of the world whilst trying to make sense of it all.
Many of the poems in this book tip their hat to sibling love as they explore the loss of the poet’s brother and these were the poems that pulled me in and held me. Whilst occurring in vastly different circumstances, I have also had to navigate the death of my brother and the fall out of this within my family, a chain reaction that links to the topic of addiction that Cecilia also covers with sensitivity whilst not shying away from the brutality and consequence. These topics are covered with love and humour (yep, it’s possible) and thrum with a reclamation of power that is testament to the power of a well crafted poem and a willingness to process whilst moving forwards one step at a time. Find out more, book gigs and buy books at ceciliaknapp.com
I Hope You Stopped for the Swans by Cecilia Knapp