Troubling the Line: Trans and Genderqueer Poetry and Poetics

by T.C. Tolbert (Editor), Trace Peterson (Editor), T.T. Jax (Contributor)

The first of its kind, Troubling the Line: Trans and Genderqueer Poetry and Poetics gathers together a diverse range of 55 poets with varying aesthetics and backgrounds. In addition to generous samples of poetry by each trans writer, the book also includes “poetics statements”—reflections by each poet that provide context for their work covering a range of issues from identification and embodiment to language and activism.

Poets in Troubling the Line: Ahimsa Timoteo Bodhrán, Aimee Herman, Amir Rabiyah, Ari Banias, Ariel Goldberg, Bo Luengsuraswat, CAConrad, Ching-In Chen, Cole Krawitz, D’Lo, David Wolach, Dawn Lundy Martin, Drew Krewer, Duriel E. Harris, EC Crandall, Eileen Myles, Eli Clare, Ely Shipley, Emerson Whitney, Eric Karin, Fabian Romero, Gr Keer, HR Hegnauer, J. Rice, j/j hastain, Jaime Shearn Coan, Jake Pam Dick, Jen (Jay) Besemer, Jenny Johnson, John Wieners, Joy Ladin, Julian Talamantez Brolaski, kari edwards, Kit Yan, Laura Neuman, Lilith Latini, Lizz Bronson, Lori Selke, Max Wolf Valerio, Meg Day, Micha Cárdenas, Monica / Nico Peck, Natro, Oliver Bendorf, Reba Overkill, Samuel Ace, Stacey Waite, Stephen Burt, TC Tolbert, Tim Trace Peterson, Trish Salah, TT Jax, Y. Madrone, Yosmay del Mazo & Zoe Tuck.

TC Tolbert, a genderqueer, feminist poet and teacher committed to social justice, is the author of territories of folding, spirare, and the forthcoming Gephyromania. Tolbert lives in Tucson.

Tim Trace Peterson is a poet, critic, and editor. The author of Since I Moved In and Violet Speech, Peterson is co-editor of the forthcoming Gil Ott: Collected Writings and lives in Brooklyn.

Genres: Poetry, Queer, LGBT, Transgender, Gender, Anthologies, Essays

544 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2013

Reviews

[TC · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm very proud of what we've created here. Collaboration and community. What else is there?

[Valerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic and necessary collection of talented poets collected around a common/similar identity of being trans* and/or genderqueer. The poems collected here are outstanding, and the poetics statements add so much to the collection. I am so deeply moved by this book and kicking myself that I was too busy to submit when there was an open call.

I'm so glad this substantial anthology is in the world. I can't wait to share it and teach it.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have read this many times now!

[Archie Bongiovanni Archie Bongiovanni · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wanted to LOVE this book, honestly. I was so excited to see a collection of trans and genderqueer poetry. But the 500+ pages were disappointing. I understand that the editor wanted to show a variety of poets and poetry, but I really feel this collection could have been edited down. Each poet has three or four pages dedicated to them and a small bio. The way it's laid out (and the pure size of the book) makes it difficult to become immersed in the poems. I felt like it was a 'let's include everybody!' type of collection. I would much rather have a smaller, edited collection, with one poem per person and the bios in the back of the book.

[Amber Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every time I read from this anthology I am awed and somehow changed. So very grateful for the poems and discussion therein.

[Danni Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a trans and genderqueer poet myself, I had a deeply transformative experience reading this book. As I read it for the first of what I'm sure will be many, many times, I felt my way around in it, exploring the topography of its contents as they shifted things inside of me in all different directions. The copy I read was purchased by my local public library at my request, but I still think I'll have to eventually buy my own copy; it's one I'll want to have near me all the time.

[Max Valerio · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many amazing poets to discover between these pages. Yes, yours truly, but many, many more! Don't miss out. There's something here for every taste in poetry. The poetics statements lend clarity to each poet's writing. This is also a groundbreaking anthology, since there's never been another like it of trans and genderqueer poets. Yet the poems are not simply identity driven. There are a lot of treasures here. Check this book out!

[Celadon Phoenix · Rating 3 out of 5]

Troubling the Line may be the thickest book I’ve read all year. Sadly, in this case, more does not equal better and this was quite a disappointment.

I had plenty of poets I liked. Although, the statistics stand at 18/55 and those are not good odds. The biggest problem I had was the level of abstraction some of the poems reached. I like a fair amount of abstraction, but accessibility is needed too. It made me wonder, at a certain point, if they even knew what they were talking about. Not every reader has the bandwidth to read a poem twenty times to find a hint of meaning.

Add the fact that all poets were entitled to 10 pages—although not all used them—and it created significant dry areas. About midway, it switched from being too formless to just meandering in the mundane and uninteresting. There was also a theme of sudden and fierce sexual content that was completely unexpected.

All of my distaste for this book is personal. I read lots of poetry but prefer more structured kinds. If you liked Soft Science by Franny Choi, this reminded me of that.

When the poets were good, they were exceptionally talented. Ahimsa Timoteo Bodhrán was the first poet and his work was stunning. His poem Cycle Undone about trans fems was indescribable. A masterpiece embracing the constant pain and bloodshed alongside the inherent beauty and value of trans fems.

This is one of those books that may not be relevant anymore but opened the floodgates for more work to burst forth. It’s important to read like any anthology, to find more people and perspectives. But even more so, to know what roots current literature has grown from and to be able to recognize that growth more fully. In this case, the intentions might matter more than the execution.


Poets I Liked: Ahimsa Timoteo Bodhrán, Amir Rabiyah, Bo Luengsuraswat, D'Lo, Eli Clare, Ely Shipley, Fabian Romero, Jaime Shearn Coan, Jay Besemer, Jenny Johnson, Joy Ladin, Kit Yan, Lizz Bronson, Meg Day, Micha Cardenas, Natro, Stacey Waite, Yosmay del Mazo, and Trace Peterson.

[Kristiane Weeks-Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

A diverse collection on bodies, politics, poetry, poetics, and being. The author pictures create an interesting play on text/image that may be worth digging into (I won't, here) and the poetics statements may have been my favorite pieces in here; the discussion of what it is to live pushing the boundaries, the poesis of acts and language, the reasons writers write. Huge shout-out to everyone who created space at Naropa University (my MFA alma mater): kari edwards, CAConrad, Eileen Myles, Dawn Lundy Martin, Trace Peterson, Ronaldo Wilson. These are the experimentalists, the future-shifters of our time.

[Jacqui · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have never read an anthology of poetry before, but I wanted to read something new that was centred around Trans and Genderqueer experiences as a way to experience and make sense of my evolving genderqueer identity. I really enjoyed this book, in particular some poets and poetry more than others. What really stood out for me was the poetic statements, which really helped a beginner like me make sense of the incredible poetry presented before me.

[Travis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Massive book with massive importance. T.C. Tolbert and Trace Peterson created something where nothing had existed - an anthology of poetic and critical thought from genderqueer and trans authors. The depth and breadth of work is stunning, engaging more styles and forms and genres of poetry than many anthologies of comparable or greater length. Nearly every poet in the book provides a poetic statement, detailing their creative and critical processes and faculties, all containing powerful and thought-provoking commentary on what is (and should be) a rapidly growing body of work.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

Like most anthologies there will be some poets you love and some that you don't. I found the poets statements and the poetry overly academic. I couldn't read them. I found that there was a higher number of masculine voices which I find happens so often in academic settings. I was disappointed that in the whole anthology there were only two poets who I wanted to read more of their work. For the most part the style of the poetry was too disjointed for my personal taste. Although definitely an ambitious work.

[Joanna Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Did not originally read this through in order. Skipped around to some poets I know and then read others. Fascinated as much by the poetics statements as the poems themselves. Wonderful collection of often powerful poems. Reading this freed me of some of the constraints I had as a poet myself. I had felt a pull to write a certain way, on certain themes, but the wide variety of styles and subjects keeps me coming back to re-read this anthology often.

[Soph Nova · Rating 5 out of 5]

This anthology took a long time to get through but I'm glad I actually read it cover to cover. Especially appreciate the format of having poetry + poetics statements, and some of the poems/artists in here are unforgettable.

[Kai · Rating 5 out of 5]

EVERYONE should read this book. I've been looking for poetry from trans authors for SO long, and this collection was everything I hoped to find and then some.

[Fern · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t wanna be like “this book saved my life!” But… this book saved my life? I loved the format of pairing poems with poetics statements. Some of the poetics statements were also written as poetry, which opened up my whole world and gave me permission to be the full weirdo I am. Idk what I loved most about this book—it’s ability to show the dialogic relationship between language, gender and identity, how language is as fungible as gender, or that it showed real life trans people in the 90’s freely talking about themselves. As far as co-signing an invisibilized population goes, this book aces it. I love it all the way.

[H.J. VandeRiet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Troubling the Line explores the understanding of gender and sexuality in a way that is both oddly unsettling and refreshingly honest. Each poet brings their unique experiences and backgrounds, calling all of us to question what we've been taught about our bodies, and about our social norms surrounding gender. Some poems will push your boundaries, others will grab your heart, others are strange. The poetics essays at the end of each poet's section provide a wonderful insight into their experiences and perspectives, giving a glimpse into how they enter into poetry.

[Oliver · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finally started reading it! This is a hard-hitting book. I was reading it at bedtime but honestly this book needs lots of time to digest and ponder over. I’ll be taking a break for now and coming back to it later.

[kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like all anthologies - some good, some not as good, and some amazing.

[AM Machabee · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a phenomenal anthology with unique voices, challenging content and beautiful poetics.

[Paige McLoughlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poetry around trans issues by trans poets. Mostly good stuff.

[Mills College Library]

811.608 T859 2013

[Franciszka · Rating 5 out of 5]

you have to read this. end of story.

one of the things i really appreciate about this anthology is how each writer/poet has published a poetics statement alongside their poems. brilliant.

[Karen]

* Understaning Oppression: Gay Rights