The Wickedest
By Caleb Femi

Atmospheric and intoxicating'and CANDICE CARTY-WILLIAMS'A joyous, lyrical read' YOMI ADEGOKE'Hypnotic and freewheeling'and GUARDIANCaleb Femi returns with a landmark, life-affirming new poetry collection,and The Wickedest.This is a minute-by-minute depiction of a typical night at a legendary monthly house party known as 'The Wickedest'. Here, we meet a vivid cast of characters, young and old, all surfing a revelry steeped in camaraderie, community, desire and a spirit of jubilant defiance.A modern epic,and The Wickedestand explores the institution of shoobs or house parties and their vital role within working-class communities. The poems range from classical English sonnets to experimental forms and are immersively interwoven with photographs, text messages and ephemera. The collection playfully dissembles parties - in space, sound, law and bureaucracy - to document the precarious existence of our nightlife venues.In Caleb Femi's inimitable, cinematic style the book builds to a crescendo that is at once euphoric and grief-soaked.and The Wickedestand calls us to cast our minds to the moments we stood surrounded by our loved ones on a dancefloor, arms outstretched, and freed ourselves from the weight of reality to float. One of London's most renowned poets' SALMA EL-WARDANY, BBC Radio London I love the collection so much'and NICK GRIMSHAW, BBC Radio 6'A near-holy experience'and JONATHAN ESCOFFERY'This is poetry that moves and is felt in the body'and ANDREW MCMILLANCaleb Femi's collection, Poor, won the Forward Prize's Felix Dennis Prize for Best First Collection in 202