'I stop for a moment.
You see, I am crying.
I cry all the time.
It's the nature of things,
you see.'
THE GIRL IN THE GARDEN is a collection of 30 poems from STANLEY PARK author Sapphira Olson themed around being transgender.
Semi-autobiographical and infused with Celtic myths and legends including the birds of Rhiannon, the god Lug and Niamh, the golden-headed daughter of the King of the Land of Youth, the poems give a profound and personal insight into the world of a transwoman.
When Sapphira happens upon the girl in the garden it is a start of her world been radically transformed as she finds a paradise with a great oak at its centre, where the girl lives. Dealing with themes of emotional, spiritual and physical transition, abuse, coming out to family and misgendering the poems leave a lasting and profound impression. Providing inspiration and hope to those that are transgender and an insight for those who are interested in knowing more about what it is like to be transgender, the collection is a glimpse into this world that is unique and life changing.
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You got me this far. You actually did pretty good. In fact, you were amazing. Rest and know there will be no more tears for you. TO MIKE
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(BLAM! Productions, 19 November 2020, audiobook, 1 hour 30 minutes, copy from the poet and voluntarily reviewed, read by Julianne Meaney)
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I loved the poet's collection, Stanley Park so I was delighted when they asked if I'd review this as well. Yes, please! The poems are read by the same narrator as Stanley Park and she does an incredible job. Her voice alone is worth listening to the audio version. The poems here are not the typical poems you'd expect for poems about being transgendered (if there is such a thing). The poems explore sexuality, gender, identity and trans through a range of mediums and concepts about transformation such as mythology. You could listen to these poems with no clue about their underlying subject matter. The Girl in The Garden is an incredible piece of work. The best poems are The Garden, Robert Di Niro Is Still Waiting, My Imagined Womb, The Birds of Rhiannon, The Other Land and A Mythical Narration.
