Thing Is: Poems

by Suzannah Showler

A startling and hip collection of poetry from a dual American/Canadian citizen who's already making waves on the literary scene.

Suzannah Showler's bracing, intense second collection is equal parts cultural critique and phenomenological investigation. Building on the enlightened skepticism of her much-praised debut, Thing Is puts the hashtag age through some much-needed paces. Witty, cutting, heartbroken, and cautiously hopeful, these poems are really about "aboutness," about what it means to be alive right now. They also nimbly advance the longstanding poetic argument for the value of considered "What follows from / what you know is / not the same thing / as knowledge. Even / when you get it right."

Genres: Poetry, Canada

96 pages, Paperback

Published March 28, 2017

About the author

Suzannah Showler is the author of two collections of poetry and a book of cultural criticism about The Bachelor franchise. Her debut novel, Quality Time, will be published by McClelland & Stewart in 2023.

Reviews

[Sam Laverton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hard not to think of the afterlife's / umbilical tether to what it isn't / anymore. Time rolls its eyes back / in its head, shows off those filmy / whites.
- From How to Think About It

I adored absolutely everything about this collection. I use sticky notes to mark favourite passages when reading poetry, and I found I was using one or more on almost every page of this collection. Showler showcases a masterful and evocative use of language in these poems that speak to the "aboutness" of life.

While I seemed to fall in love with a different poem every time I glanced through this book, I'd say my favourites were Subjunctive Mood, Conditions, Asking for a Friend, Since You Asked, and Point of Contact.

If I could only / have one life, I'd swallow it.
- From Conditions

I know a bit about this, how / the future is a condition / we live with now.
- From Intent

What do I like best about being / a ghost? Hard to choose / just one thing. Maybe the soft / wilt of remembering / how you were once alive, / but not who.
- From Since you asked

[Kayla Kurin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Insightful, funny, smart – this collection was a pleasure to read!

[chantel nouseforaname · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read for National Poetry Month.

Insightful, brilliant. Favourite poem: Conditions

[Adam Sol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant. Smart, sassy, informed by high philosophy and low slang, with a contemporary language all her own. Dig this.