We’re all ageing, all of the time. As a society we’re getting even older, but we seldom seem to stop and think about the huge mental and physical changes that happen to us as we get old, or what it’s like to live as an old person. The Emma Press Anthology of Age is a collection of poems which challenge, celebrate and give age a voice, finding humour amidst the heartbreak and comfort within the pain.
Available to buy here from The Emma Press.
Reviews
‘[…] few collections are more entertaining, well-judged and thought-provoking than this neat set stylishly produced by the Emma Press. […] Clever sequencing and juxtaposition encourage in the reader a simple but profound sense of the inevitability of age as a shared experience without sadness as the dominant feeling. It has a spring in its step throughout. This is an anthology rich in resonance and new imagery, where just about every poem is succinct, accessible and assured in tone and purpose. ‘ – Mark Butler, DSDC
‘The Emma Press Anthology of Age is a welcome, if stark, reminder of what it means to age, both for those experiencing it personally and the family around them. […] Poignant and wistful, The Emma Press Anthology of Age is as much a call to action as a recognition of the challenges ahead.’ – Jade Craddock, BookSmoke
‘Age: something to embrace or to dread? Something natural and beautiful or a monster that slowly eats away at us? The Emma Press Anthology of Age attempts to answer that question – perhaps one of the most fundamental to humanity – with a quietly powerful set of poems from a diverse selection of writers. […] I found the Anthology of Age very poignant. There is breathing space, however, with loud, angry poems alternating in a neat rhythm with soft, peaceful murmurs. Many facets of age are covered, generally with dignity and respect.’ – Elizabeth Gibson, Cadaverine
‘The Emma Press Anthology of Age is not so much about the problems of being old as the whole process of ageing, which we are all doing, all the time. So it has a very broad sweep, and is not just aimed at the elderly, though I find the silver cover amusing. A good range of poets is represented, and the quirky illustrations by Emma Wright are a delight. The book is not divided into sections, but flows from one poem to another, giving a sense of unity and journey.’ – Angela Topping, Sabotage Reviews
‘There are angry poems, passive poems, sad poems and warming poems, sampling the many ways people view the aging process. […] Life is messy, bumpy and tough to understand or accept at times but what these poems do is illuminate and celebrate the collectivity behind these concerns.’ – Frances Kelly, DURA