Rachel Mann

I mean, isn't it extraordinary that that phrase, I am, is embedded in cultural and religious histories?

God himself says, I am.

That is who I am.

Yahweh.

It's kind of inscribed in my attempt to make sense

of a world that escapes me, and recognizing that that very single letter word, I, is elusive.

I mean, gosh, those of us who love lyric poetry are only too aware of how problematic that letter is when placed in poetry.

As if it gives us authenticity and authority, and yet,

I think that's why I'm so obsessed with placing it in all these sort of dramatic monologues, Roderick.

It seems to offer and promise so much, yet it's a failure of a word, actually.

I am just a sort of, gosh, I mean, in theological terms, is it a token of failure as much of success?

Oh, it's search, search, search, and search.

I mean, process is intense.

I mean, it's taken me...

nearly four years to write this collection.

You know, I'm currently producing a collection every five years and it's, I have to find my way in and I wrote so much before I found a way to talk Eleanor and let Eleanor talk me.

Yeah, I have an eye for the,

attractive phrase i think i think everyone's who's hung around lyric poetry for long enough does but but as you will also note i'm trying to be disruptive with lyric poetry as well yeah it's too it sometimes feels too easy therefore i'm troubled by it poetry should be

Yeah, thank you.

It's so bone deep, Padraig, I can't articulate it well, really, but to say that there is just something incredibly disruptive and, for me, very queer and queering about...