The Agonist
Shastra Deo
Winner of the 2016 Thomas Shapcott Prize for Poetry. With its wildness and originality, The Agonist is an exhilarating collection. Exploring the languages of anatomy, etymology and incantation, these poems craft conversations about fracture and repair, energy, love and danger. ‘[Deo's] poetry seems to emanate from a raw wound as she dissects the human form with her words, cutting into the flesh, flaying open the skin, peering into the organs and investigating the body’s systems.’ Cass Moriarty.