Summer bodies

Abstract

“Summer Bodies” is preoccupied with the physicality of humans and non-humans. In Melissa Febos’s essay “The Return: The Art of Confession,” she writes: “The unspoken parts of experience: the lonely, the existential, the erotic — how was I to know they weren’t mine alone?” Exploring themes of childhood, danger and death, desire, and movement, the poems attempt to put these unspoken experiences into poetry, to document the frustration and joy that refuse to yield to each other. From the strict Shakespearean sonnet to free-verse lowercase poems, this collection draws on personal memories, historical tales and imaginings, while also commenting on what it means to be a being whose body is actively policed by state governments. All bodies have been and still are harmed by past and present policies.

Ballet is one of the central aspects of the manuscript, both explicitly, as in “Bach Suite II” and the longer poem “Swan Lake,” and implicitly, as the institution of ballet shapes dancers’ ability to navigate physical problems, to interpret and act on desire, and to simply spend time outdoors. Ballet traditionally has strict gendered expectations that don’t allow for sexuality, queer or otherwise, to be expressed by women. It is difficult to love what Mary Oliver calls “the soft animal of your body” while surrounded by mirrors and judgement.

Beginning in summer, the poems transition through winter back into summer, a reminder that life is constantly transitioning from one moment to the next, however much we might wish to slow time. Mostly set in America and the United Kingdom, these poems were written during government elections that have resulted in the rolling back of reproductive and gender affirming rights and freedoms previously gained. It would be easy to slip into despair; these poems fight that urge.

Date of Award	2 Dec 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of St Andrews
Supervisor	Karen Solie (Supervisor) & Harriet Archer (Supervisor)