A bold, intimate, and darkly humorous collection of poetry exploring motherhood, relationships, identity, and the complexities of human connection.

In Skinship, Alexandra Corrin-Tachibana returns with her second poetry collection, following her acclaimed debut Sing Me Down from the Dark. Drawing on her experiences of life in Japan, she explores the relationships that shape us, from the tenderness of motherhood and female friendships to the challenges of controlling partners, emotional abuse, and navigating different cultures.

Taking its title from a Japanese word combining the ideas of physical closeness and kinship, the collection moves between deeply personal reflections, moments of vulnerability, and wonderfully unexpected humour.

Inspired by Japanese literature and writers including Sei Shōnagon and Yoko Ono, Corrin-Tachibana experiments with traditional Japanese poetic forms such as haiku, tanka, and zuihitsu, creating poems that are as visually interesting as they are emotionally engaging.

The collection also reflects on her return to Japan after fifteen years, exploring memory, belonging, and her enduring connection to the country's language and culture.

At times funny, moving, sensual, and unsettling, Skinship is a distinctive collection for readers who enjoy contemporary poetry exploring relationships, womanhood, cultural identity, and personal experience.