Clouds Cannot Cover Us

by Jay Hulme

A collection of YA poetry.

Genres: Poetry, Queer, LGBT, Nonfiction

96 pages, Paperback

Published October 1, 2019

About the author

Jay Hulme is an award winning transgender performance poet, speaker and educator.

He teaches, consults, speaks, and works on the importance of diversity in the media, especially transgender inclusion and rights. Jay performs his poetry at engagements in the UK, and has been published in a number of magazines and journals.

Reviews

[Hope · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really don't have anything bad to say about this collection. There were maybe two poems that didn't hit with me (amazing ratio, to be honest) but everything else was really good, with several being my absolute favorite.

I have his next collection waiting for me.


I love the line:

"I like to imagine that the burnt books of Alexandria
are floating in the air somewhere,
waiting for someone to breathe them in."

From The Letters We Lose

[Kelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Moving and familiar emotions pour through these poems. Several will stay with me a long while.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Started following Hulme on Twitter some time ago for some silly reason (I think due to a Very Good Coat), then bought this book after he posted a series of Plague Poems, which were largely devastating in a helpful, introspective way. This book is less devastating, but equally effective. The target audience is teens, an age which I have left behind, but I read this book in small pieces and really appreciated it as an adult reader, too. The way that Hulme writes about identity and personal history is approachable/relatable, and I think that I would have really appreciated this book as a teen. I can't wait to see future work from him.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are a couple of great poems in here and the collection covers some great themes, it just didn't hit me the way that I thought it might. I am, however, not the intended audience, so I think it might be more impactful in a local high school library, so that's where it's being donated. Very glad to have finally read this, though.

[Michaela Dietz · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are so many different themes but they all go together so the book feels like a nice, cohesive piece. I’m not a teenager, which is the intended audience for this book, but I still found the poems thought-provoking and parts of poems striking. Some of the writing does feel a bit juvenile, but maybe that’s just my preference for more free verse rather than the more set rhyme schemes found in most of his works. I’ll definitely check out his future work.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic and moving poetry. Aimed at teenagers/YA, but it speaks to anybody of all ages. The collection is about finding and accepting yourself, and the movement from dark to light as you begin to love who you are (a move which is highlighted through the use of dark pages for the first half of the book, and light pages for the second half).

[A.R. Vale]

Jay Hulme's young adult poetry collection reflects heavily on what it means to grow up working class in the UK and the way working class families and young people are treated by society. This was an accessible poetry collection that still contained some very powerful poems. I found this collection enjoyable and some of the poems really resonated with me.

[Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really adored this collection of poems. There were a few that were some of the most poignant and resonant poems that I've ever read. I'd love to hear them spoken because they had great rythm to them, too!

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't read much - or indeed any - poetry as a general rule, but I bought this because I love the author on Twitter. And I'm very glad I did because the poems in this little volume are beautiful and heartbreaking and full of hope and specks of stardust. They will be staying with me forever.

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I honestly think I can finally say I've found a poet I like. This collection was so raw, strong and emotive. It captured so many relatable feelings. I can't help but think these poems must be incredible to hear performed.

[✰matthew✰ · Rating 4 out of 5]

this collection covers a lot of ground and makes interesting reading. a lot of the poems have heavy topics but the arrangement makes the book quite light to read. i enjoyed most of the poems and the use of the two different sections.

[Emma · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really like Jay Hulme so I feel bad leaving a low rating, but these are his teenage poems, and it shows. There are little glimmers of promise in them, but do yourself, and him, a favour: read Backwater Sermons instead.

[Bunny · Rating 2 out of 5]

This gets two stars because I didn’t want to give it a one like Phillip Larkin but I actually couldn’t get through these poems they’re so repetitive in theme and ideas it’s like the same poem copied and pasted twenty times.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little dark and not quite my style, but no doubt it's well-written and contains some real gems.

[Helen Woods · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really beautiful stuff!

[Bridget Corcoran · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5, really— we’ll see which side I land on in terms of stars. A fine collection with some standout poems, and a promising start. Just not incredible.

[Colin Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Solid and engaging covering experiences so rarely centered in literature.

[rixx · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rilke-style modern poetry, targeted to adolescents and adults. I don't read much poetry, but I *am* a fan of Rilke, for reference.

Most of the poems in this book had a couple of lines in them that touched me – which is really good, as poetry goes. Some were not for me at all, and one or two just dropkicked me right in the feelings. I'm of the opinion that that is the best compliment you could give to a collection of poetry.

It's a slim, well-printed volume that plays with words, with layout, with colours (even though it's just black-and-white). I recommend you read it. It's a small investment in time and money, and it might be good for your {mind/spirit/soul}.

[Tricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful poetry - thought provoking

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is beautiful and I love it!

[Miguel Buddle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m not normally a fan of poetry books (my own failing), but this is raw and powerful and wonderful.