The third book of poetry by Elsa Aids is a raw and disheartening commentary on today’s world, focusing on the intimacy of the home and partnerships.

Few contemporary Czech poets are able to give such unforgiving depictions of one’s body and relationships between partners as Elsa Aids. Aids’ texts are, among other things, a painful analysis of a romantic relationship that turns into partnership with a household and children, and the creeping routine of coexistence. They are detailed accounts of trivial matters, day and night, descriptions of fingers that no longer possess the sense of touch, and cruel records of the gradual eclipse of a once loving closeness. The author observes everything that represents him in relation to the other person, what is a facade and what he so cheerily creates, moulds and arranges himself. Despite all this, in places, the poetry also contains fragile and cautious moments of the remaining genuine unity. They are just sorrowfully glinting.

Praise

“The Book of Limitations is a frightening and exhausting book. The author delves into the dirt of human existence, unfulfilling relationships and temporary satisfaction.”

—A2

About the author

Elsa Aids is the author of three poetry collections and his texts have appeared in the 2012, 2015, and 2017 Nejlepší české básně (Best Czech Poems) anthologies. He lives in Prague.