Lurex

A dazzling and innovative poetry collection that weaves together themes of memory, material culture, and the shimmering surfaces of contemporary life.

In Lurex, acclaimed poet and philosopher Denise Riley creates a collection that sparkles with intellectual brilliance and emotional depth. Taking its title from the metallic thread that adds glitter to fabric, this collection explores the ways in which memory, history, and personal experience are woven together with threads both precious and synthetic.

Riley's poems move between the intimate and the philosophical, the material and the metaphysical, creating a unique voice that is both scholarly and deeply personal. Her work examines the textures of modern life—from the artificial shimmer of lurex fabric to the complex layers of human consciousness and memory.

With her characteristic wit and precision, Riley explores themes of femininity, aging, materialism, and the construction of identity in contemporary culture. Her language is both intellectually rigorous and sensuously rich, creating poems that engage both mind and heart.

The collection serves as both cultural critique and personal reflection, examining how we are shaped by the materials and textures that surround us. Riley's voice is both critical and compassionate, offering insights into the ways we navigate the artificial and the authentic in modern life.

A brilliant and thought-provoking collection from one of Britain's most important contemporary poets and thinkers, Lurex shimmers with intelligence and insight.

Key themes: Material culture, memory and consciousness, femininity and aging, contemporary life, artificiality vs. authenticity, philosophical poetry, cultural critique