Description
Book SynopsisIn these poems, women raise their voices and subvert the age-old tales told on their behalf: Roman goddess Salacia explores her tumultuous relationship with Neptune; Gwen Ellis, the first woman hanged for witchcraft in Wales, reflects on her impending fate; a Queen bee is usurped by her daughter and depression visits in the emaciated form of an old and forgotten friend.
Trade Review`I am particularly struck by the musicality of Salacia, where the poems chime and echo with the enchantment of spells. The poems are allusive with Plathean bell jars and “sticky pearls”, yet the subject matter is usually rooted in Welsh wild spaces and mythologies. Ultimately, Salacia coaxes sublimity from pain, reminding us that though we may be hurt, we can still be powerful.’ – Zoë Brigley `A unique and urgent voice plotted against a rich lyricism. These poems are visceral, inventive, with every riff packed to the brim with awe.’ – Rhian Edwards `Mari Ellis Dunning writes with honesty about mental disorder and the intricacies of depression, but her poetry is charged by the body and the senses. This tension between mind and matter gives the poems a dark energy.’ – Anna Lewis
