salmacis: becoming not quite a woman

Published by Renard Press

A captivating first collection from a talented young writer that explores gender identity and asexuality. This important work opens up a transparent and inviting discourse about questioning gender and love as it has never appeared before.

As recounted by the Roman poet Ovid, a young nymph, Salmacis, one day spied Hermaphroditus bathing; consumed with passion, she entered the water and, begging the gods to allow them to stay together, the two became one - part man, part woman.

An Eclectic Pagan, for Elizabeth, Ovid's fables are more than fiction and form a framework for exploring identity. Drawing on the rich mythological history associated with the tale of Salmacis and Hermaphroditus, and re-examining the tale through the lens of metaphor, salmacis: becoming not quite a woman is a stirringly relatable and powerful exploration of gender, love and identity. 

this is my lake salmacis, and i am the wild nymph 
with a hollow in her belly and nothing between her legs

Elizabeth's poems have been shortlisted for the Stratford Young Poets Competition 2021, Wells Festival of Literature Young Poet award 2021, Erbacce Prize for Poetry 2021, and the Canterbury Festival Poet of the Year 2021. 

salmacis: becoming not quite a woman is essential, identifiable reading for anyone grappling with the concept of gender or love.

PUBLISHED ON 31ST AUGUST 2022.

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