Neptune's Projects

by Rishi Dastidar

What do you do when you are a god – but powerless and unable to prevent one of your favourite species from their insatiable, accelerating death wish? Do you try to shout louder and more insistently, or instead reinvent yourself as a troubadour of romantic ruin? Such are the dilemmas posed by Rishi Dastidar in his third poetry collection Neptune's Projects, a reshaping of mythology for the climate crisis era which gives bold consideration to the stark choices we face.

A post-apocalyptic jig and reel, these poems are compelling, deadpan yarns of the sea, full of both fury and fun. In Neptune's Projects the end of humanity is made wry, thrilling – and alive.

Genres: Poetry

80 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 27, 2023

About the author

Rishi Dastidar’s poetry has been published by Financial Times, New Scientist and the BBC amongst many others. His debut collection Ticker-tape is published by Nine Arches Press, and a poem from it was included in The Forward Book of Poetry 2018. A member of Malika’s Poetry Kitchen, and a consulting editor at The Rialto magazine, he also chairs the London writer development organization Spread The Word, and is editor of the final part of the Nine Arches Press writers’ trilogy, The Craft: A Guide to Making Poetry Happen in the 21st Century.

Reviews

[Michael Loveday · Rating 5 out of 5]

Effervescent, kind of bonkers, satirical. Dastidar’s style is unique. I really enjoyed this.

[Francie McQuarrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spunky