Running Upon the Wires

by Kae Tempest
Running Upon the Wires cover
Good Books rating 4.23
Poetry
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  • ID: 2299
  • Added: 2025-10-13
  • Updated: 2025-10-19
  • ISBN: 9781509830039
  • Publisher: Pan Macmillan
  • Published: 2018-09-06
  • Formats: 7
  • Reviews: 3

Running Upon The Wires marks Kae Tempest's return to free-standing poetry, offering a deeply personal and intimate exploration of love's complexities. Through a variety of forms, including formal poems, spoken songs, and ballads, Tempest charts the emotional turmoil of ending one relationship and starting another, capturing the heart's conflicting pulls. This collection is a departure from their previous work, showcasing Tempest's unflinching observation of both personal and social truths. /n/n Tempest's poetic prowess shines as she delves into the heartbreak, joy, and everything in between that comes with love. The collection is a testament to her skill as a truth-teller, offering readers a moving and heartfelt journey through the highs and lows of romantic entanglements.

Reviews
The Skinny · 2022-08-29
cathartic 4.50

The collection is cathartic and deeply moving, ideal for those experiencing love and heartbreak. The best poems are both powerful and emotionally resonant.

The Skinny's reviewer finds 'Running Upon the Wires' to be a cathartic and deeply moving read, perfect for those going through the highs and lows of love. They highlight that while the collection is emotionally charged, it is Tempest's best poems that truly shine. The reviewer appreciates the raw emotion and the way Tempest captures the essence of love and heartbreak, making it a go-to for anyone seeking a poignant reading experience.

Quick quotes

    While Running Upon The Wires is a cathartic and deeply moving read

    a go-to for the love-stricken and heartbroken

    Tempest's best poems come across as both powerful and emotionally resonant.

Daisy Sainsbury's Blog · Daisy Sainsbury · 2019-03-15
insightful 4.20

The book addresses uncomfortable truths about love and relationships. It offers a unique perspective on the complexities of modern love.

Daisy Sainsbury's review emphasizes the uncomfortable truths about love that Tempest addresses in this collection. She finds the poems to be honest and insightful, offering a unique perspective on the complexities of modern relationships. Sainsbury appreciates the way Tempest explores the repeatable dimensions of love, making it a thought-provoking read. She suggests that readers who enjoy poetry that delves into the intricacies of human emotions will find this collection particularly engaging.

Quick quotes

    The book addresses some uncomfortable truths: namely the repeatable dimensions of love which are not anchored to one particular relationship.

    Tempest's exploration of love is honest and insightful.

    The collection offers a unique perspective on the complexities of modern relationships.

The Guardian · 2018-10-02
moving 4.00

This collection is deeply personal, offering an intimate look at the poet's life. It is raw and powerful, filled with emotional depth and vulnerability.

The Guardian's reviewer highlights that this is Kate Tempest's most personal collection yet, diving into her offstage life with unflinching honesty. The poems are described as raw and powerful, pulsating with emotion. The reviewer appreciates the vulnerability and emotional depth, making it a standout in Tempest's body of work. They suggest that readers who enjoy poetry that connects on a personal level will find this collection particularly resonating.

Quick quotes

    This is the most personal collection Kate Tempest has ever written.

    It is her offstage, in-the-wings, behind-the-scenes book.

    The collection is raw and powerful, filled with emotional depth.

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