AustLit

'‘Though its title suggests a dark netherworld, the poems in swimming underground offer striking glimpses into the past, present and possible future. Some movingly recall childhood trauma, others celebrate iconic Sydney places and people such as Cockatoo Island and Mr Eternity. There are pointed satires of Centrelink bureaucracy and the current appalling treatment of refugees. And, finally, a vision of a world where peace is the rule rather than the exception. Whether celebrating or denouncing, Jenni Nixon’s voice is compelling and evocative.’ – Emeritus Professor Elizabeth Webby AM

'‘These evocative poems bring to life the complexity and beauty of Sydney and its outsider citizens and history. These deeply moving fragments of a city's life take us “underground” by stirring our own deepest memories, especially through a vivid sense of place. Nixon takes us around the harbour and through the streets of Sydney. We smell the salt and hear the cries of birds and people. And we remember. This is a marvellous collection.’ – Julie McCrossin, journalist and broadcaster

'Jenni Nixon is a performer and political poet par excellence… Nixon’s is the voice of the twenty-first century and her strident protests leave no sacred cows upstanding… Lines delivered with the rapid-fire intensity of an expert cannot fail to find their mark.’ – Dr Margaret Bradstock, Agenda!' (Publication summary)