Helena Pantsis

NationalPoetryMonth.ca April 10, 20232

This Body Holds Bones by Helena Pantsis is published on NationalPoetryMonth.ca on April 10, 2023.

From Helena

"This Body Holds Bones" is a reflection on aging, of the body crumbling in pieces. It's less of a fear of my own demise, but rather watching the people I love and respect become shadows of their former selves. At its core, this poem explores helplessness, fear, and grief in a concise few lines.

Along with poetry, I'm a writer of primarily fiction and an amateur comic artist. I love attempting to experiment with structure and content, blurring the lines between genre and the limits of form. As art reflects life reflects art, I don't believe there are clear cut definitions of what literature can be. My favourite works delve into aspects of life that we don't tend to see, blending the speculative with the real to highlight the strangeness of our existences.

I find influences in every aspect of my reading, from emerging writers and artists online, to established creators with built bodies of work. A couple of my favourite reads are 'Mother for Dinner' by Shalom Auslander and 'Fever Dream' by Samanta Schweblin—these specific works hold a special place in my heart for how they speak to such heavy subjects in strange, experimental ways. I also love the boldness of Australian artists like Eloise Grills, Laura McPhee-Browne, Helen Garner, and Laura Jean McKay.”

About Helena

Helena Pantsis (she/they) is a writer, student, and artist from Naarm, Australia. A full-time student of creative writing, they have a fond appreciation for the gritty, the dark, and the experimental. Her works have been published in Overland, Island, Going Down Swinging, and Meanjin. More can be found at hlnpnts.com.

Social media: @hlnpnts on Instagram and Twitter

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