feeld

Charles’ collection is formally daring, written in a crafted, nonstandard orthography that reshapes how the reader hears language. The result is not gimmick but argument: spelling becomes a politics of voice, embodiment, and refusal. The poems explore gender, desire, and self-making with intelligence and emotional edge. The altered spellings slow the reading experience, forcing attention to sound and texture. This friction creates intimacy; you feel close to the language’s mouth. The collection also plays with pastoral tradition, queering it and unsettling its assumptions about nature and the body. Charles balances vulnerability with sharp wit, often turning a line in unexpected directions. The poems ask what “correctness” means and who it serves. Over time, the eye adjusts and the poems begin to feel startlingly direct. It’s a book that changes how you read, then changes what reading can be. Strange, brave, and deeply alive.