Books
Pit Lullabies
‘Here an acerbic wit is fused with ruminations on the female body along with the concerns of early parenthood... Traynor’s sound is effortlessly hypnotic, her language formed, deliberate and lyrical.’ – Anthony Anaxagorou,
Poetry Book Society Selector
‘Wild and exhilarating’ - Martina Evans, The Irish Times
Pit Lullabies celebrates the amazement and joy of parenthood, while also exploring difficult experiences of anxiety and post-natal depression. Violence against women, environmental concerns and the uncertainties of 21st-century living are also explored here in poems by turns visceral, lyrical, angry and funny. Running through the collection is a series of Pit Lullabies, a fractured sequence of attempted lullabies that moves from the darker days of new motherhood and into the light.
This third collection from Jessica Traynor follows two acclaimed collections from Dedalus Press. Pit Lullabies is a Poetry Book Society Recommendation for Spring 2022 in the UK.
‘Written with a lightness of touch, these poems are capable of dealing with the big themes – especially those of birth, death or illness…this poet [is] capable of creating canonical work which draws on a contemporary re-thinking of poetic traditions while finding a voice that is wholly her own.’
- Siobhan Campbell on The Quick, Poetry Ireland Review
Buy now from Dedalus Press
‘The quality of Liffey Swim guarantees that Traynor is a poet to keep reading and listening to. Her language is fresh, erudite and engaging. Her writing future is sure to be a bright one.’
- Libby Harte, Cordite Review
Buy now from Dedalus Press
‘This is an excellent book and disturbing as it needs to be. You should add it to your Christmas list.’
- Carol Ballantine, The Irish Times
All proceeds go to MASI. Buy ebook here