Physical Education by Lauren Lawler

Lauren Lawler is a poet living in Baldoyle, Co. Dublin. Her poems have appeared in The Stinging Fly, Abridged and The Pickled Body. She holds degrees in poetry, library studies and law. Outside of poetry, she works as a research librarian in the Houses of the Oireachtas.

‘This is an outstanding collection, full of the vibrancy of youth, exploring not only family characters and growing up, gossip and lust, but also looking outward at identity, nationality, history and rights. A strong voice and significant poet.’ Sarah Wardle

‘Lauren Lawler celebrates and chronicles women, including the women of her early acquaintance and lineage whose lot in life has been rebarbative, and the brave ones whose praise is unsung. There are poems here such as ‘Two Sisters’ which hold up a mirror to injustice. Lauren deals with anger in sympathetic and compelling metaphors. In ‘Venice in Five Frames’ she captures an aging mother’s voice among the gondolas and campaniles. In ‘Grace Gifford’s Wedding’ her poignancy reaches back in history to the night before Joseph Plunkett’s execution. It looks like the direction of poetry could be changing, and Lauren Lawler is in the vanguard.’ Ciaran O’Driscoll

Green Bottle Press