Pieces That Fit is a collection of poems set in Melbourne by new local poet Steph Amir – telling her own stories and those of the people and communities around her.
The collection moves across years and suburbs: cooking spaghetti with Nonna in Elwood; circus class in West Footscray; watching the bats in Yarra Bend Park; trapped in a Richmond ICU ward; and at home in Preston throughout the COVID lockdowns. The poems reflect Amir’s experiences as a zoologist, politician, parent, and as a member of the disability and LGBTIQ communities.
Despite exploring some weighty topics, the narrative style and humour within the poems, and the illustrations that accompany them, make this an accessible collection – even for those who don’t often read poetry.
Andy Jackson, winner of the 2022 Prime Minister's Literary Award for poetry says: "The playfulness within Steph Amir's poetry is eloquent and contagious. She writes with curiosity and sensitivity from within the queerness of the everyday. These are poems alert to the perils of being human in the Anthropocene, as well as the potential for transformation and joy."
