24pp

In spare and delicately-balanced language Maria Isakova-Bennett's poems about family, loss and the effects of being silenced address her grandfather's enforced migration to England, the secrecy he lived with and its effects on subsequent generations.

“Maria Isakova-Bennett is a truly remarkable poet — she understands how in discovering the past, we discover ourselves. No matter the subject, her poetry is always a celebration of the living world. This breathtaking sequence weaves history, memory and imagination with such skill and precision that the past is given presence.”  John Glenday

24pp

In these confident and accomplished poems, Clare Proctor explores and gives voice to the experiences of women, particularly those constrained by their context, whether historical, or through art, myth or individual circumstance. They move from the particular to the more general in considering ideas around the body, death, motherhood and family.

“This is a compelling pamphlet that delves into the mythic and the personal, weaving together themes of womanhood, power and rebellion. There is a delicious and sly darkness to some of these poems as we meet witches who keep penises as pets, and women who insist on not behaving as expected.  Clare Proctor’s poetry has real emotional depth and this pamphlet announces an important addition to the ongoing lyric conversation about the female body and what it means to be a woman.” Kim Moore

Lilith Speaks is one of three pamphlets selected for publication from the 2024 Litfest/Wayleave Pamphlet competition judged by Ian Duhig and Jane Routh