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BOLD: An Anthology of Masculinity Themed Creative Writing
BOLD is an anthology of masculinity themed creative writing. It aims to document some of the many images of masculinity from a variety of different perspectives. Masculinity is in a constant state of flux and means many things to different people and in different settings and times. There is no definitive definition. As a result it is often said that masculinity is in crisis. That is a point that can be argued away another time. What masculinity is for this group of editors and writers, is interesting and worthy of exploration as a creative prompt.
Elizabeth Kemball / Paul Robert Mullen / Dave Garbutt / Glenn Barker / Ronnie Smith / Kate Dowling / Devon Marsh / Helen Laycock / Dan Duggan / Italo Ferrante / Kyla Houbolt / Aubriana Niven / David Hanlon / Katie Jenkins / Alan Parry / Jay Rafferty / Damien Posterino / Anthony Owen / Barney Ashton Bullock / Mark Ward / Lee Potts / Matthew M. C. Smith / Scott Lilley / Ben McCurry / Matt Gilbert / Lesley James / David Hay / Stevie Harrison
Elizabeth Kemball / Paul Robert Mullen / Dave Garbutt / Glenn Barker / Ronnie Smith / Kate Dowling / Devon Marsh / Helen Laycock / Dan Duggan / Italo Ferrante / Kyla Houbolt / Aubriana Niven / David Hanlon / Katie Jenkins / Alan Parry / Jay Rafferty / Damien Posterino / Anthony Owen / Barney Ashton Bullock / Mark Ward / Lee Potts / Matthew M. C. Smith / Scott Lilley / Ben McCurry / Matt Gilbert / Lesley James / David Hay / Stevie Harrison
52 pages, Paperback
Published March 17, 2023
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May 23, 2023
What does it mean to be a man?
This is the question that runs through each page of this anthology and the answer is:
to break down the traditional definition of manhood and the learned, ingrained conception of masculinity connected to it:
‘Masculinity always eluded me-
an escaped convict,
me- the high-security prison;
constructed by a construct,
emaciated to a polarity,
defined by a quality
I wasn't meant to be.’
writes David Hanlon in ‘Man Strenght’
Exploring the many and different faces of masculinity, this anthology of prose and poetry, stretches the constraints of it, fighting against destructive perceptions of male identity.
From the pressure to “man up” and hide emotions (‘Man Up’ by Mark Antony Owen) to toxic masculinity, at every page we take a closer look at masculinity and all of its complexity.
Some poems give us images not always positive about the experience of masculinity - ‘What My Father (Not a Poet) Might Say’ ‘Self-Portrait For & Against’ two hard hitting poems by Italo Ferrante - or on what is expected of a man in certain circumstances – ‘Put the record on' by Paul Robert Mullen and ‘Nobody’ by Alan Perry.
But masculinities are not just the experience of men, rather and also how they impact the world around; so our perception of the theme is enriched by the voices of women who share their experience of masculinity through the images of the male figures in their lives:
‘Papa chose his peach
with care;
ran his thumb
over the pile of its cheek,
cupped its weight,
bounced it like a baby…’
(‘Damaged’ Helen Laycock).
Masculinity is not a still stone is more like a river that flows and mingles with others rivulets and waterways, made of sadness, tenderness, love. There are “other ways of being”.
Poets, men and women, talk about their experiences of patriarchy and masculinity.
To dismantled toxic masculinity much of the work must come from men interrogating and changing their attitudes and making room for nuances in this imagining of masculinity/masculinities.
‘I know now that real strengh
is knowing our
hearts are flowers,
& loving
the bloom
& withering.’
( ‘Man Strenght’, David Hanlon )
This is the question that runs through each page of this anthology and the answer is:
to break down the traditional definition of manhood and the learned, ingrained conception of masculinity connected to it:
‘Masculinity always eluded me-
an escaped convict,
me- the high-security prison;
constructed by a construct,
emaciated to a polarity,
defined by a quality
I wasn't meant to be.’
writes David Hanlon in ‘Man Strenght’
Exploring the many and different faces of masculinity, this anthology of prose and poetry, stretches the constraints of it, fighting against destructive perceptions of male identity.
From the pressure to “man up” and hide emotions (‘Man Up’ by Mark Antony Owen) to toxic masculinity, at every page we take a closer look at masculinity and all of its complexity.
Some poems give us images not always positive about the experience of masculinity - ‘What My Father (Not a Poet) Might Say’ ‘Self-Portrait For & Against’ two hard hitting poems by Italo Ferrante - or on what is expected of a man in certain circumstances – ‘Put the record on' by Paul Robert Mullen and ‘Nobody’ by Alan Perry.
But masculinities are not just the experience of men, rather and also how they impact the world around; so our perception of the theme is enriched by the voices of women who share their experience of masculinity through the images of the male figures in their lives:
‘Papa chose his peach
with care;
ran his thumb
over the pile of its cheek,
cupped its weight,
bounced it like a baby…’
(‘Damaged’ Helen Laycock).
Masculinity is not a still stone is more like a river that flows and mingles with others rivulets and waterways, made of sadness, tenderness, love. There are “other ways of being”.
Poets, men and women, talk about their experiences of patriarchy and masculinity.
To dismantled toxic masculinity much of the work must come from men interrogating and changing their attitudes and making room for nuances in this imagining of masculinity/masculinities.
‘I know now that real strengh
is knowing our
hearts are flowers,
& loving
the bloom
& withering.’
( ‘Man Strenght’, David Hanlon )
Displaying 1 of 1 review