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Heritage Aesthetics
What does it mean to have 'heritage', and how do we perform or undo it?
In these daring and sonorous poems, Anaxagorou conducts a researched unpacking of two countries whose dividing lines of a colonial past are still visible and felt.
Uniquely engaged with the complexities of Cyprus and the diasporic experience, these poems map both an island's public history alongside a person's private reckoning. They offer a ferocious and uncompromising look towards the damaging historical structures that have led to now.
Fearless, intensely honest and hopeful, Heritage Aesthetics merges Anthony's gift for performance and his brilliant experimentation with form to create a vivid insistence to communicate a self in the world.
In these daring and sonorous poems, Anaxagorou conducts a researched unpacking of two countries whose dividing lines of a colonial past are still visible and felt.
Uniquely engaged with the complexities of Cyprus and the diasporic experience, these poems map both an island's public history alongside a person's private reckoning. They offer a ferocious and uncompromising look towards the damaging historical structures that have led to now.
Fearless, intensely honest and hopeful, Heritage Aesthetics merges Anthony's gift for performance and his brilliant experimentation with form to create a vivid insistence to communicate a self in the world.
- GenresPoetryNonfictionArtRace
104 pages, Paperback
First published November 3, 2022
12 people are currently reading
2318 people want to read
About the author
Anthony Anaxagorou
18 books60 followersAnthony Anaxagorou is a British-born Cypriot poet, fiction writer, essayist, publisher and poetry educator.
His poetry has been published in POETRY, The Poetry Review, Poetry London, Granta, Ambit, The Adroit Journal, The London Magazine, The Rialto and elsewhere. His poetry and fiction have appeared on BBC Newsnight, BBC Radio 4, ITV, Vice UK, Channel 4 and Sky Arts.
His second collection After the Formalities published with Penned in the Margins is a Poetry Book Society recommendation. It was selected as one of The Telegraph’s and The Guardian’s best poetry books of 2019 and shortlisted for the 2019 T.S Eliot Prize.
He was awarded the 2019 H-100 Award for writing and publishing, and the 2015 Groucho Maverick Award for his poetry and fiction. In 2019 he was made an honorary fellow of the University of Roehampton.
Anthony is also artistic director of Out-Spoken, a monthly poetry and music event held at London’s Southbank Centre, and is founder of Out-Spoken Press, an independent publisher of poetry and critical writing that aims to challenge the lack of diversity in British publishing.
He has toured extensively throughout Europe and Australia and his work has been studied in universities, schools and colleges across Europe and the USA.
His poetry has been published in POETRY, The Poetry Review, Poetry London, Granta, Ambit, The Adroit Journal, The London Magazine, The Rialto and elsewhere. His poetry and fiction have appeared on BBC Newsnight, BBC Radio 4, ITV, Vice UK, Channel 4 and Sky Arts.
His second collection After the Formalities published with Penned in the Margins is a Poetry Book Society recommendation. It was selected as one of The Telegraph’s and The Guardian’s best poetry books of 2019 and shortlisted for the 2019 T.S Eliot Prize.
He was awarded the 2019 H-100 Award for writing and publishing, and the 2015 Groucho Maverick Award for his poetry and fiction. In 2019 he was made an honorary fellow of the University of Roehampton.
Anthony is also artistic director of Out-Spoken, a monthly poetry and music event held at London’s Southbank Centre, and is founder of Out-Spoken Press, an independent publisher of poetry and critical writing that aims to challenge the lack of diversity in British publishing.
He has toured extensively throughout Europe and Australia and his work has been studied in universities, schools and colleges across Europe and the USA.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
December 14, 2022
'by the end of April I was trying my
best not to spill any more
electricity over my cortex. pacing
the old Roman road. stockpiling
litter. trapped inside synapses.
begging my brutality to go easy on
me. the circle I want to be loved by
looks like it's haemorrhaging
cortisol. wetlands of blood sugar.
inside fire what you get is fire. my
left amygdala is too small. my
mother's survival was too small. if
experiences shape the brain's
circuitry then I learned to fear the
father before the arachnid. my
deficit has been shipped to the
Kyrenia mountains - a tribe of
laundered goats to pay off God.'
(from 'Circuitry', p55)
best not to spill any more
electricity over my cortex. pacing
the old Roman road. stockpiling
litter. trapped inside synapses.
begging my brutality to go easy on
me. the circle I want to be loved by
looks like it's haemorrhaging
cortisol. wetlands of blood sugar.
inside fire what you get is fire. my
left amygdala is too small. my
mother's survival was too small. if
experiences shape the brain's
circuitry then I learned to fear the
father before the arachnid. my
deficit has been shipped to the
Kyrenia mountains - a tribe of
laundered goats to pay off God.'
(from 'Circuitry', p55)
December 29, 2023
A good read! Think I may have read this too fast, got a bit of indigestion... will return later and make a sandwich from the leftovers...
August 13, 2023
I HATE THIS APP IT DELETED MY REVIEW WHILST I WAS WRITING IT.
This collection is beautiful. I absolutely loved it. And the poem “15x22” is maybe my favourite poem I’ve read all year.
There is a simmering rage that runs through this whole collection, that although I would love to go away and understand the specifics of the historical and political background of the poets family, the joy of reading poetry is that I can still effectively capture the feelings and the humanity in these events that I don’t always think a history book can capture.
This collection is beautiful. I absolutely loved it. And the poem “15x22” is maybe my favourite poem I’ve read all year.
There is a simmering rage that runs through this whole collection, that although I would love to go away and understand the specifics of the historical and political background of the poets family, the joy of reading poetry is that I can still effectively capture the feelings and the humanity in these events that I don’t always think a history book can capture.
February 3, 2025
I loved how punchy/angry these poems were - and the way they were formatted/written was beyond effective. Unfortunately the word ‘kombucha’ has the power to take me out of literally anything ever.
May 18, 2025
I first discovered Anaxagorou’s poetry during the pandemic, when I read After the Formalities. I connected with it deeply, in my own way. That was also around the time I was beginning to explore contemporary poetry more seriously—reading magazines like The Moth and discovering poets like Inua Ellams, Fiona Benson, Seán Hewitt, Emily Berry... I could go on. I remember the blurb on the back of After the Formalities calling him “a poet at the peak of his powers.”
But actually, I think this is the peak. Heritage Aesthetics is something else entirely.
I took my time with this one—started it about two weeks ago—and made a conscious effort not to rush through it. I’ve been guilty of speed-reading fiction in the past, but poetry especially demands care and presence. It needs to be sat with, returned to, reread.
Poems like Futurist Primer, We Are Us Now, No Such Thing, and Text Message stood out for their craft and precision. Anaxagorou’s writing here is deeply considered and well-executed. Though it’s clear he’s incredibly well-read, the work never feels self-indulgent or obscure. It’s accessible, readable, and grounded in lived experience. There’s no pretence—just great ideas delivered with a sharp, concise economy of language.
What really sets him apart, though, is how he ends his poems. Take the five-page piece Quotidian Theory, which finishes with:
If you’re serious take off the falconry glove
To see how the raptor really has it
There are several poems that conclude in this way—with a revelation or moment of epiphany that makes you want to pause and applaud. The artistry in Heritage Aesthetics is undeniable.
Then there’s Float, which I interpret as a poem about a parent-child relationship caught up in a dangerous and illegal journey to England. I could be wrong—but that’s how it resonated with me. And that’s another strength of this book: it invites interpretation while remaining emotionally grounded.
Read this book. Buy it, and read it slowly.
But actually, I think this is the peak. Heritage Aesthetics is something else entirely.
I took my time with this one—started it about two weeks ago—and made a conscious effort not to rush through it. I’ve been guilty of speed-reading fiction in the past, but poetry especially demands care and presence. It needs to be sat with, returned to, reread.
Poems like Futurist Primer, We Are Us Now, No Such Thing, and Text Message stood out for their craft and precision. Anaxagorou’s writing here is deeply considered and well-executed. Though it’s clear he’s incredibly well-read, the work never feels self-indulgent or obscure. It’s accessible, readable, and grounded in lived experience. There’s no pretence—just great ideas delivered with a sharp, concise economy of language.
What really sets him apart, though, is how he ends his poems. Take the five-page piece Quotidian Theory, which finishes with:
If you’re serious take off the falconry glove
To see how the raptor really has it
There are several poems that conclude in this way—with a revelation or moment of epiphany that makes you want to pause and applaud. The artistry in Heritage Aesthetics is undeniable.
Then there’s Float, which I interpret as a poem about a parent-child relationship caught up in a dangerous and illegal journey to England. I could be wrong—but that’s how it resonated with me. And that’s another strength of this book: it invites interpretation while remaining emotionally grounded.
Read this book. Buy it, and read it slowly.
January 14, 2025
“I want so much of the / past gone I’m terrified of moving.” Heritage Aesthetics, the latest book of poetry from Anthony Anaxagorou, deftly yet forcefully examines injury sites and fault lines where systemic, socio-cultural pressures most exert themselves on the individual. The titular poem of the collection, near the beginning, sets much of the tone: “you ever seen someone / just go missing in front of you? // a violence so exact it sanitises history”; “it’s hard to accept / that this is the life we’ll die in”. Anaxagorou is painfully conscious of the insufficiency of life to contain what happens to us: “violence / only teaches us how to keep returning to it”; “in this new decade / the battle is logging off for good”; “fear / is the only conclusive list.” Poems like ‘No Such Thing’, ‘15 x 22’, ‘For Those Who Demand Evidence’ and ‘[gently the children]’ were all particularly moving, alongside such insightful, jolting images, a person “laughing so hard I kept adolescence awake”, or declaring that “I’lll make sure the sky happens — heading towards a future nobody asked for”, or the strangely sad, insistent confessional: “I’m trying to limit what I become”. Anaxagorou builds on previous work to create something even more formally daring and intellectually challenging; Granta Poetry, in publishing it, continue their excellence streak.
December 1, 2025
not really my style, with the exception of the poem "float", but i bookmarked some favourite phrases:
"stirring / tea in an easy way thinking about my mother / & father & the days water was water" - futurist primer
"behind both men, a fox. / clamped in its jaw, an oyster. / behind the oyster, a chestnut tree." - let me say this again the way i mean it
"evenings shoulder into the jasmine" - now my ego wants better things
"the absence of a body is not the absence / of memory no matter what we do for it (this life) / will never need us twice" - no such thing
"boys did i tell you about / my great-grandfather who was / moved out of his body by rifles / in '74 on cyprus maritime" - perhaps, a rhetoric
"i'll fantasise about setting colonial / summer houses alight with / dendrites. i want so much of the / past gone i'm terrified of moving." - circuitry
"stirring / tea in an easy way thinking about my mother / & father & the days water was water" - futurist primer
"behind both men, a fox. / clamped in its jaw, an oyster. / behind the oyster, a chestnut tree." - let me say this again the way i mean it
"evenings shoulder into the jasmine" - now my ego wants better things
"the absence of a body is not the absence / of memory no matter what we do for it (this life) / will never need us twice" - no such thing
"boys did i tell you about / my great-grandfather who was / moved out of his body by rifles / in '74 on cyprus maritime" - perhaps, a rhetoric
"i'll fantasise about setting colonial / summer houses alight with / dendrites. i want so much of the / past gone i'm terrified of moving." - circuitry
June 10, 2024
I picked this up because I’m also Cypriot and this book of poetry will truly stick with me in the time to come. I love the words Anaxagorou uses to convey his thoughts and how vulnerable I feel his writing is. I’m not going to lie, I don’t read much poetry, but everything I read sounded so beautiful and hoping I understood everything correctly, I took a lot out of this book. Reading it on the beach was also a beautiful feeling.
December 10, 2024
2.75 στρογγυλοποιημένο. Πραγματικά πιστεύω πως στην προκειμένη περίπτωση φταίω εγώ και όχι αναγκαστικά τα ποιήματα, νομίζω αυτό φαίνεται στο γεγονός ότι μου πήρε σχεδόν δύο μήνες να ολοκληρώσω αυτή τη συλλογή. Τι να πω, δεν με ενέπνευσε καθόλου και συνέχεια το αργοπορούσα το πράγμα. Δύο- τρία ποιήματα μου έκαναν ιδιαίτερη εντύπωση αλλά πέρα από αυτά δεν έχω να σχολιάσω παραπάνω..
March 22, 2024
This was a beautiful collection of poetry, discussing ideas of divisive history, culture and identity. The poem focuses upon the merging of identities and the complexities of identities. Absolutely wonderful.
November 2, 2024
The title seemed nice and I hadn't read poetry in a while so I picked this up this summer. I didn't expect it to be so heavy, it's really refreshing though and I love the intensity and variety of the poems. Will re-read for sure.
December 23, 2025
Anthony Anaxagorou is one of the best writers of our generation, full stop. In every genre.
His words are true gifts. He's caleidoscopic, insightful, precise and daring. Vulnerable and erudite, defiant and caring.
A true gem.
His words are true gifts. He's caleidoscopic, insightful, precise and daring. Vulnerable and erudite, defiant and caring.
A true gem.
Read
April 4, 2023read this a While ago so alas not the freshest in my mind but I think a fantastic!! collection from one of the Must names today, my favourite AA. the penis does not age well
August 20, 2023
I loved this poetry collection. I will read it again very soon.
February 15, 2024
Read it now.
February 28, 2024
"the absense of a body is not the absence of memory no matter what we do for it (this life) will never need us twice"
March 11, 2024
interesting and unique collection. Slightly more admired than out and out enjoyed or moved by it but looking forward to exploring the poems some more over the next few months.
March 13, 2024
Was a good read
March 24, 2024
Made me consciously engage with muddied diasporic influences in my family. First poetry collection I read for fun, and now I get poetry
May 18, 2024
This collection felt like true act of love for a people that has been oppressed, overlooked, and invalidated for generations. Thank you for making us feel seen and for expressing our experience.
August 29, 2024
« & still a child grows into a question. »
one to keep close and read again and read again
one to keep close and read again and read again
September 17, 2024
Would more realistically be a 3.5 or 3.75. It took me a while to get into. Some bits felt performative or just not my cup of tea. But some lines and passages were incredible.
February 24, 2025
Didn't really get this one. But I can see the strong fatherly love the author has for his son, which I can appreciate.
July 7, 2025
Poetry with richness of language. Phrases that I wanted to learn/know rather than just to read. Wonderful.
Want to read
December 14, 2025This one didn't really connect with me, maybe it was too abstract for me just yet. I'll come back to it
Read
June 30, 2025Format: Physical book from the library
British born Cypriot Poet. Emotional. Searching. Rhythms of angst. Tethered to the past, unable to make sense of the present or future.
The most powerful for me was the first poem in the collection, 'we'd been in Algiers for almost a year.' However, the collection was too restless for my personal preference and there was an undercurrent that I wasn't comfortable with. The book's bio describes him as, "British born Cypriot Poet", why not British Cypriot poet. There is a difference. I understand the unsettled feeling of being born as part of a diaspora. I am too. But unless you root yourself in your birth country, one will always feel untethered, fraying with no hope for the future. That comes through in his poetry.
I don't give poetry a star rating. I believe, something so personal should stand apart from a rating system. It will either resonate with the audience or not, but that shouldn't be a reflection on a poet's craft. I just choose whether I wish it to remain in my personal collection or not.
British born Cypriot Poet. Emotional. Searching. Rhythms of angst. Tethered to the past, unable to make sense of the present or future.
The most powerful for me was the first poem in the collection, 'we'd been in Algiers for almost a year.' However, the collection was too restless for my personal preference and there was an undercurrent that I wasn't comfortable with. The book's bio describes him as, "British born Cypriot Poet", why not British Cypriot poet. There is a difference. I understand the unsettled feeling of being born as part of a diaspora. I am too. But unless you root yourself in your birth country, one will always feel untethered, fraying with no hope for the future. That comes through in his poetry.
I don't give poetry a star rating. I believe, something so personal should stand apart from a rating system. It will either resonate with the audience or not, but that shouldn't be a reflection on a poet's craft. I just choose whether I wish it to remain in my personal collection or not.
October 12, 2024
I heard him read it at Chener Books after having a wisdom tooth removed - Anthony has a sometimes uncomfortable power to his poetry that I will gladly witness over and over
October 8, 2024
Got a bit lost in the associative imagery and often couldn't grasp the logic/organising principle that held each poem together, but I think that's just a matter of taste. I responded better to the more narrative-driven sections, in which there were some really powerful moments
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews