National Animal
National Animal by Derek Webster is a collection of poetry published by Signal Editions, the poetry imprint at Véhicule Press, in 2024. This edition comprises 80 pages and is presented in English. In this second book, Webster’s work moves beyond personal narratives to engage with broader political themes, featuring a narrator who reflects on the complexities of contemporary life while observing the erasure of history in favor of more palatable narratives.
Readers will find that National Animal delves into the intersections of civic responsibility and personal identity, as the narrator navigates a landscape where societal norms often overshadow deeper truths. The collection meditates on our current “civic moment,” offering poignant imagery and thoughtful reflections on existence within a science-based cosmos. Through its exploration of American and Canadian themes, this poetry collection invites contemplation on the nature of self and society.
Official synopsis Publisher
National Animal, Derek Webster’s second book of poetry, inhabits a wider public space than his acclaimed debut Mockingbird. In poems that extend beyond the biographical toward the political, Webster’s quiet, sharp-eyed narrator– a man ” tripping / my way forward, trying to lead my own life” — watches history being erased in favour of more socially palatable ideas and comforting self-portraits. Uncompromising and substantial, National Animal explores our ” civic moment” where “birds sing oblivion / estranged from all things,” and meditates, in a final image-rich sequence, on our place in a science-based cosmos.
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