First Light

Each morning, CAConrad walks outside to write with the sunrise. Arriving in the dark, just before dawn, their eyes slowly adjust to identify shapes in the landscape, until the world becomes fully illuminated by the morning sun. These (Soma)tic poetry rituals are a meditation on these moments, on matter’s reaction to being struck with the day's first light – observed both in person and across the world via live public webcam footage.

The result is beautiful birdsong, stanzas pulsing with blood and oxygen. Exploring subjects of family, past lovers, the climate crisis, war and politics, this collection is vital new work by the cult hero of contemporary queer poetry.