First published in Great Britain in 2016 by Carcanet Press Limited Alliance House, 30 Cross Street, Manchester, M2 7AQ www.carcanet.co.uk Text copyright © Vahni Capildeo 2016 The right of Vahni Capildeo to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act of 1988; all rights reserved. Cover photograph by Elspeth Duncan, reproduced with kind permission. Typeset by LA in Arnhem Pro. A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library, ISBN 9781784101688 The publisher acknowledges financial assistance from Arts Council England.
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First published in Great Britain in 2016 by Carcanet Press Limited Alliance House, 30 Cross Street, Manchester, M2 7AQ www.carcanet.co.uk Text copyright © Vahni Capildeo 2016 The right of Vahni Capildeo to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act of 1988; all rights reserved. Cover photograph by Elspeth Duncan, reproduced with kind permission. Typeset by LA in Arnhem Pro. A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library, ISBN 9781784101688 The publisher acknowledges financial assistance from Arts Council England.
Contents
I Handfast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Slaughterer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fire & Darkness: And Also / No Join / Like . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . To Stand Before . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mercy and Estrangement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A Personal Dog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Too Solid Flesh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
11 12 13 16 18 19 20
II The Prolongation of the Spine and the Stretched Neck Approximate the French Philosopher Only to His Own, and Airy, Beast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Investigation of Past Shoes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ‘I Love You’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chloe on the Jubilee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Laptop Blue Screen Rationalization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . María Lloró / Blue Sky Tears . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inhuman Triumphs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
35 36 38 39 40 42 44
III Neomarica Sky Jet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cities in Step . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ‘I Wish to Be Speaking to You until Death’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
49 52 55
IV Kassandra #memoryandtrauma #livingilionstyle . . . . . . . . . The Book of Dreams / Livre de Cauchemars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Louise Bourgeois: Insomnia Drawings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
59 60 67
