Katie Griffiths' debut poetry collection,The Attitudes is a search for trust and faith – in the body, in the mind, in all those things we seek to hold on to but cannot. Here, we intimately encounter mortality and tread the balance between visceral wisdom and the intellect, between fragile, fallible bodies, and the mind's hold over them, between the bright spaces and the haunted ones.
In poems that are bold, effervescent, frequently playful, Griffiths approaches serious subjects - eating disorders, ageing, grieving - with a precise and inventive lyricism. The Attitudes compiles multitudes, with layer upon layer of counterpoints, juxtaposing and exploring the unresolvable, all the while seeking to move towards a place of deeper reflection and stillness away from the noise and distraction of the daily business of being alive. An astute and accomplished book which transforms
I loved this poetry collection. I bought my copy direct from the publisher, Nine Arches Press, and it came with a postcard inside with the same beautiful image as the book cover (artwork by Anna Steinberg) which was a lovely touch. I enjoy poetry but don’t always understand the hidden meaning. I read most of these poems out loud and just loved the language and flow, the humour and imagery. It’s a book that I will continue to reread and reinterpret and I love that about it.