Description
‘A hero in past tense’ is a searingly beautiful debut pamphlet from one of Birmingham’s most striking voices on the performance circuit. Yerkezhan’s poems are a howl of yearning, and handle a deeply intimate exploration of the relationship with body, gender, and transness. From the delirious potency of infatuation, to the fracturing landscapes of what home can be defined as, through the lens of family, belonging and identity, these poems question who we are when the validity of language falls short upon interrogation.
“These poems are resonant, thoughtful, luminous moments of time. Deeply personal in the way that trips a switch in your brain and shares consciousness, via memory and the present. A hero in past tense is defiant in its self-expression and powerfully gentle in its human connections; the ways in which we care for each other are complex and deep as a fractal zoom. We are lucky to have a poet like Berkembayev.”
Luke Kennard
“‘A Hero in Past Tense’ is a poignant exploration of self and identity, one that traverses themes of transformation, belonging, and introspection with beautiful, often heart-wrenching lyricism. The poems are powerful, with lines that linger and prompt reflection. I’m particularly struck by how deftly the poet captures both the fragility and resilience inherent in the journey. I am looking forward to seeing this work find a home with readers who will undoubtedly connect with its honest and evocative storytelling.”
Caleb Femi
“I read ‘A hero in past tense’ all the way through and then started again – it moves, and asks readers to move with it, but it is also slow, and salty in its slowness. This is poetry about time, about being, about belonging. Often striking in its images and the stories carried within them, this collection is rich in the way that I find the best poetry to be: it is odd and personal and surprising, and at the same time open and generous and quivering with possibility.”
Dr Rona Cran
Please note that this is a preorder for publication due December 2024