Amphibian

by Georgie Henley

Amphibian is an incredible collection of poems looking at the body through an excitingly fresh lens. From poems about lust and love, to power and gender touching on both modern and classical references. These poems are sensual, entrancing, feminist and powerful.

Genres: Poetry

48 pages, Paperback

Published December 12, 2022

Reviews

[Kirsty · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written collection full of strange imagery, wit and an exposing kind of honesty that astounds. I especially loved ‘Wordplay’.

[Symone · Rating 5 out of 5]

These poems make me want to write, they make the human experience feel so powerful

[Juliano · Rating 5 out of 5]

“they tried to rip out my pages / but they could not take my fire / and I would not let them win”. Georgie Henley’s Amphibian, the last pamphlet in fourteen poems’ 2022 series, is easily one of the best, brimming with these bold and bodily poems that straddle shorelines, all living up to their collective title. There are traces of many types of poetry, such as the confessional (“I’m filled with things I’m afraid of / blood / love / ambition”; “I am seventeen / and still confuse admiration and love and lust / in a fruit salad where everything tastes like yellow juice”) and the narrative — for instance, the short series of ‘CIRCE’ poems, particularly the third and final part, ‘thief-lover’, which ends “and some epic poet will call him a hero / for leaving”. Henley is also keenly aware of herself and her craft: “I am doing my best with words / and their limits”. There are several standout poems, including ‘Sim Theory’, ‘Love Poem’, ‘The Sculptor’, ‘PARIS IS BURNING’, ‘Surveillance’, and brilliant ‘Blush’, which was first published in one of fourteen poems’ previous publications; in the notes I make when I read, most of these poems just have a lot of exclamation marks next to them in place of anything coherent, I just felt so struck all the time. Henley’s radical vulnerability makes her particularly readable and relatable: “pray the next person who touches me / will leave it undisturbed / slender talisman / against the fraudulent dawn”; “I’m bored of carrying around my dreams / the morning after, like a glow-in-the-dark dog collar. / I’m bored of being a sullen itching warning.” And, finally, her imagery: “Be assured: they only know a moon of you.”

[Bridget · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this but struggled to ‘get’ some of the poems. My favourite was maybe ‘Makeup Counter’ - I love the vignette style snapshot and the flash of emotion you get from it. I also really loved Circe ii and iii, the narrative in those as a series was really compelling, and the end of iii was really powerful. Encroach also personally hit home very hard - another really punchy set of imagery with a message I could get my teeth around. I’d like to reread this collection at some point to have another go at some of the ones I vibed with less.

[Benny · Rating 4 out of 5]

between three and four stars. loved some poems (mainly the ones that referenced other works, like the albatross, dorian and circe) but I found it hard to appreciate some other poems (though I understand it is what usually happens in poetry collections). all in all I think it was a very solid first publication, and I will be looking out for more works by the author, as I’m sure her poetry will develop over time.

[Lauren B · Rating 5 out of 5]

I teach poetry workshops and there’s almost never a time I don’t have this in my arsenal. Unwavering, aching, beautiful, sensual, and playful all at once. You will devour in one setting and wish you could forget so you could devour it for the first time again.

[Sierra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bought this because I love Georgie Henley. Now I can say with certainty that I love her poetry as well.

[Millie · Rating 5 out of 5]

beautifully written poetry

[Merin Ellis Daniels · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved these poems so much.
The use of language was so vivid and elegant and at times raw and vibrant.
Really looking forward to reading more of her work.

[Neehaarika · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up bc she's my celebrity crush<3

[Besayuna · Rating 5 out of 5]

delicioso, íntimo, sensual, voraz y feminista.

[imasimpforjesperfahey · Rating 4 out of 5]

literally so flipping good what

[Trianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing debut into the poetry world for Henley, their writing flows beautifully and their poetry is visceral and raw