Anna Ralphs Outside -

It is a slim volume, but like a hard frost, it leaves a lasting impression. Read it with a cup of tea, but don't be surprised if you find yourself pulling on your boots before you reach the last page.

For anyone who has ever felt that the weather isn't just a backdrop, but a character—or even an antagonist—in their life, Outside is a breath of sharp, clean air. At its core, Outside is a collection about borders. Ralphs, who grew up on the Isle of Wight and now lives in London, writes with the precision of a cartographer and the anxiety of a homeowner checking the locks. She constantly pits the safety of the hearth against the chaos of the heath. anna ralphs outside

Ralphs captures that distinctly British obsession: the neurotic checking of the weather forecast. She writes not just about storms, but about the anticipation of storms; the low-pressure systems that hang over relationships and living rooms alike. The book is bookended by two of its strongest pieces. The titular poem, Outside , sets the tone with a sense of sublime dread. She describes the space beyond the window as a living entity: "Outside, the air is older / and knows things." It is a place of risk, but also of honesty. Inside, we lie to ourselves; Outside, the wind doesn't care about your feelings. It is a slim volume, but like a

There is a particular kind of magic in a book that makes you want to press your palm against a windowpane. Anna Ralphs’ debut poetry collection, Outside (Granta Poetry, 2016), does exactly that. It blurs the boundary between the climate-controlled comfort of ‘inside’ and the wild, breathing, often terrifying expanse of ‘outside’. At its core, Outside is a collection about borders