Imelda May to Launch Debut Poetry Collection 'A Lick and a Promise'

Irish musician Imelda May is set to release her first poetry collection, titled "A Lick and a Promise," on October 28. The book, which will feature 100 poems from the Dublin artist, is being published by Faber Music.

This collection follows May's initial foray into poetry with her EP "Slip Of The Tongue" in 2020. The poems in the new book are inspired by themes such as Breast, Below, Blood, Eyes, Tongue, and Temple, written in her characteristic visceral style that explores heartbreak, sex, nature, and womanhood.

Among the poems included is 'You Don’t Get to be Racist and Irish,' which was penned in support of the Black Lives Matter movement and featured in the Rethink Ireland campaign. May expressed the importance of poetry to her, stating, “Poetry is good for my soul and fills my heart and mind with color and scent. It’s intoxicating... One poem can stay a lifetime, one line can change a view. I hope my writing gives to others what inspiration gives to me.”

She explained that the collection's title references how her mother described a quick wash, paralleling her own hurried reading of poetry. May feels honored to join the esteemed Faber Music family.

Lucy Holliday, Head of Pop Publishing at Faber Music, praised May's writing, noting that working with her on this debut collection has been a joy. She described the poems as absorbing and evocative, providing a glimpse into May's sensual world.

Imelda May is well-known for her 2008 album ‘Love Tattoo,’ which is the top-selling album by a homegrown female artist in Ireland, and her latest album, “11 Past the Hour,” is her fourth Number 1 album in Ireland and fourth Top 10 in the UK.