High Jump as Icarus Story

by Gustav Parker Hibbett

In High Jump as Icarus Story, Gustav Parker Hibbett gifts us
visions of flight and falling. This stunningly accomplished debut poetry collection deconstructs and redefines notions of Blackness, queerness,
and masculinity through the lens of myth, pop culture, and that most transcendent of sports – the high jump.
Formally inventive, these poems speak in a capacious voice which can be vulnerable, fragmented, and rapturous; exhorting us to imagine
and reimagine our possible selves while navigating a labyrinthine America that conjures its young into monsters.
Taking us from the arroyos of New Mexico to a West Cork farm in winter, these meditations on beauty and the elusive nature of love are insightful, and hard-won. Here, the spirit triumphs, even when body falls: ‘having/ reached for sunlight,/even if I failed to hold it.’

Genres: Poetry, LGBT, Queer

112 pages, Paperback

First published July 4, 2024

Reviews

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5

this was a real mix for me. I think the collection as a whole is genius in the way that it interweaves themes of race, queerness & belonging all through the lens of mythology and the high jump: it was full of poems with highly unorthodox premises, pulling concepts from one shade of life into another in a very unexpected (but brilliantly-executed) way. a lot of individual poems, however, weren't particularly appealing or memorable; I think the collection as a whole is better than the sum of its parts.

having said that, there were a few poems that definitely stood out as favourites:

Colouring Book
In which I attend my own lynching
High Jump As Icarus Story
those who are able to graze the sky, he believes, must be gods

[Beth Casserly · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best poetry collection I’ve read this year, and the one that has made me swear off writing any more Icarus poetry because I think this book has perfected that craft. Devoured this in two hours over an iced coffee and I’ll be starting my reread and annotations before the ice melts.

[Vonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so glad I picked this up in Dublin. I was debating spending more of my non-existent budget on books, but the fact that it’s a signed edition convinced me (as well as the fact that we need more poetry from black queer authors).

Wow. It is as if Gustav Parker Hibbett reached into my chest and grasped my heart with each poem. Even when I didn’t understand the meaning of a certain poem, I still ached for more. Every word they employ in this collection feels like a careful selection, and the mere concept of the poems (explained in the titles) amazed me. I am in awe over their mind and the way they connect reality and mythology to tell a bigger story. A story of a grandeur worthy of the title.

I’ll be trying to catch my breath after this high jump.

[Alexander Donnan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into this book with certain expectations, influenced by the hype surrounding it and Gustav Parker Hibbett’s eloquent discussions about his work, which really piqued my curiosity. While the collection didn’t entirely meet those expectations, I’m very glad I read it.

The standout poems for me included:

Grendel

Othello as Singer-Songwriter

Joni Mitchell Dressed Up as Me

Rococo

Bald

Upon Leaving My Labyrinth

Lunar Cycle (which I found particularly moving)

In Which I Attend My Own Lynching

These pieces were powerful and left a lasting impression. However, I found that certain sections of the collection, particularly those that felt more memoir-driven, didn’t resonate as strongly. While I don’t mind memoir in poetry, the two forms are distinct, and sometimes the memoir elements in this collection didn’t quite align with the poetic expectations I had.

I also felt that the collection wasn’t as “formally inventive” as the blurb suggested. While there were certainly moments of creative expression, I didn’t see the level of structural innovation I was anticipating.

That said, the standout poems made the reading experience worthwhile, and I’m grateful to have encountered this collection. Additionally, I discovered that Sean Hewitt hosts a poetry podcast with Hibbett and other contemporary writers, which has introduced me to even more great voices in poetry.

All in all, while the collection didn’t completely hit every mark for me, it was still a rewarding read.

[Peyton kowalski · Rating 5 out of 5]

High Jump as Icarus Story is a poignant exploration of human resilience, using the sport of high jump as both a literal and symbolic backdrop. The author skillfully employs abstract imagery to tackle tough, deeply personal themes like loss, identity, and the fear of failure. Through vivid, surreal descriptions, the high jump becomes a metaphor for emotional struggle—each jump a fragile balance between hope and despair.
The bar in the high jump symbolizes both aspiration and challenge, representing the characters' pursuit of unreachable goals and their repeated confrontations with failure. The physicality of the sport mirrors the emotional highs and lows of the characters’ journeys, turning each jump into a moment of transcendence and growth.
Ultimately, the novel is a meditation on the courage to rise again after each fall, where the abstract imagery enriches the exploration of personal struggle. High Jump as Icarus Story is a beautiful reminder that our greatest lessons come not from the jump itself, but from how we face the fall.

[Gerda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm clearly turning to poetry towards the end of the year (no regrets). Gustav Parker Hibbett’s ‘High Jump as Icarus Story’ is a magnificent mosaic of personal mythology, where athletic performance becomes a lens for exploring bodily autonomy, racial identity, limits of masculinity, tensions between conformity and transcendence. Echoing the variety in theme, the collection's architectural brilliance lies in its formal diversity. Poems shift between tight couplets, open-form free verse, and experimental spaced-out layouts where words themselves seem to leap and suspend—mirroring the high jump's defiance of gravity. Each piece feels meticulously placed, like a fragment of a larger puzzle, creating a sophisticated and satisfying narrative arc.

This book has helped me comprehend the sport—as well as the myth of Icarus—in a whole new light. And GOSH Gustav’s voice is vigorous and provocative in the best of ways. T.S. Eliot prize shortlisting is not just deserved but almost inevitable.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heart wrenching and consoling, brave and beautiful. Honest to its core. I love how the poems interplay and dialogue with each other. Just a stunning collection.

[Steven Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

First book of the year and we’re off to a flyer (pun intended)

This is a really beautiful collection from an author I knew nothing about. I’ll be keeping an eye on their career going forward.

[alina · Rating 5 out of 5]

rlly beautiful - might even read more contemporary poetry now

[Taylor Franson-Thiel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hard to do something new with Icarus but some good moments

[cael · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75/5

A beautiful and compelling collection of poetry that interlaced and linked themes from Blackness, queerness, and mythology, to jumping and flying and falling.
The title and cover are what first drew me to this book, and I am glad I picked it up.