These Are the Words

An empowering feminist collection for teens and young adults, written and illustrated by international poetry sensation Nikita Gill, exploring all the things she wished someone had told her when she was younger.

Reclaim your agency. Discover your power. Find the words.

Taking you on a journey through the seasons of the soul, in this poetry collection Nikita gives you the words to heal after your first break-up, celebrate found family, understand first love, express your anger and your joy, fight for what you believe in, and help you break some rules to be your truest self.

Gorgeously illustrated by Nikita herself and featuring seasonal astrological poetry, this collection is an achingly beautiful, stunningly warm and fearless expression of truth from one of the most influential and well-known voices in modern poetry.

REMINDER FOR HEALING
You do not owe anyone your forgiveness.
The trees do not apologize to the wind that uproots them.
The rocks do not apologize to the erosion by the sea.
The stars do not apologize to the universe.
when they are writhing and dying out.
And you are not obligated to forgive anyone,
but yourself. "Gill is Britain's most followed poet, with more than a million fans online, who feel that her fine-tuned emotions are not her weakness, but her superpower...A typical Gill poem harnesses the beauty of nature - silent snowfall, say, or exploding stars - to deliver a mixture of pain and hope in what can almost feel like a benediction." The Guardian "Inspiring...[Gill's] poems talk about love, family, protest, pain and friendship, and the words, heartfelt and true, shine light on subjects that are often confusing and difficult to make sense of. This beautifully illustrated book is the ointment to soothe the turmoil of change, the spark to ignite passions and the warm voice of wisdom when you need it." The Scotsman "An empowering, heartbreaking and fierce collection that will resonate with many a reader." Manjeet Mann, award-winning author of Run, Rebel