“There Are Trans People Here” (2021) is written by the award-winning poet H. Melt. In this boldly crafted collection every aspect of trans identity, experience, events and culture are widely celebrated. In addition, acclaimed and prominent historical trans pioneers (elders) are recognized for their outreach and march for human rights and social justice; along with many contemporary influencers, artists, writers in modern society. There are facts, lists, and recommendations for further study, some of the poems have been previously published. The four artistic collages featuring hundreds of (trans) people are awesome!

The introduction poem is the same as the title of the book: “There Are Trans People Here” which shows that trans people live all over in unnamed cities and communities and have the same jobs and careers as everyone else. “Dysphoria Js Not My Name” (after Ross Gay) highlights the unpopularity of selective surgery and the beauty signified by scars, “Trans Care” is the follow-up indicating the necessity of insurance, care plans, and aftercare that includes loving family and friends, this similar theme continues in the poem: “Intensive Care.”

The poems featuring literary themes are a favorite subject matter really stand out. The oldest gay bookstore in the country “Giovanni’s Room” (titled poem) is located in Philadelphia, PA. The store is named after the 1956 classic novel written by the acclaimed gay literary icon James Baldwin (1924-87). Over the years brick and mortar bookstores have closed in alarming numbers or are restructured to keep the doors open. Giovanni’s Room is currently operated by an AIDS non-profit and sells other things besides new and used books. H. Melt describes being employed “At The Dream Job” that is, working for a low-wage feminist bookstore in a stressful verbally abusive environment. “If You Are Over Cis People” (after the feminist poet Morgan Parker) has some advice for change.

The poet happily recalls “Meeting Chelsea Manning” (after the Lambda Literary Awards). In the poem, “Trans Lit” according to Melt, is b******t unless it is written by trans people. Without (literary) education, awareness, and advocacy, attaining tolerance and understanding of our differences is challenging. Trans literature (regardless of author identity) clarifies and answers our basic most curious questions, it is necessary without question in a modern literate society. Many of the poems seemingly favor a separatist ideology/agenda for trans persons, more noticeably in the poem: “Trans Day of Revenge.” Every form of discrimination must be resisted, always. H. Melt (they/them) is a nonbinary transgender poet, author, artist, educator, and is based in Chicago, Illinois. (3*GOOD) ** With thanks to the Seattle Public Library for this book loan.books-read reviewed seattle-public-library28 s jay881 5,071

poetry wise this isn't my style. theme wise though i think that a lot of important topics were covered and i especially appreciated the afterword and the resources providedthe-moon-is-trans23 s Julie2,131 36

"Let us hope for a day
when we no longer
need to pray for
our safety."poetry21 s Megan O'Hara191 57

told my mom I would leave for her house 30 minutes ago haha SIKE my actual priority is gobbling down poems about trans joy and crying!!!!18 s gray (my.rainbow.bookshelf)284 59

I love trans people and being trans so so much!!trans-books10 s BookChampions1,201 111

*There Are Trans People Here* is the full-length poetry collection by H. Melt of my hometown of Chicago. It's a collection H. Melt centers on trans joy and trans care. It isn't a book that will rip your heart into shreds or, for those mystified by poetry, leave you scratching your head.

Its illuminating simplicity and unabashed joy are its strength, for it leaves no reader, especially its target audience, trans readers, in the dark. As they say in "Trans Lit (after Jamila Woods)," "Trans Lit is bullshit unless it is written / by trans people, unless it is written / for trans people."

If you are looking for how one finds joy in resistance or if you are a queer reader just tired by the marginalization and the fight, this book is the shot in the arm, leg, mind, and heart you need. In stark, unadorned prose, H. Melt celebrates the worth (and validates the rage) of every trans person and the importance of found family and self-care.

I can't wait to find ways to use this book in my classroom!poetry9 s Mollie Murbach340 7 Read

Leaving this one unrated because I’m struggling to assemble coherent thoughts.

As a collection of poems only about 25% of this really worked for me and my taste in poetry.

However the overall theme of trans liberation, especially within the afterword and discussion sections are incredible and I truly think this has a place in classrooms to accompany any conversation about trans liberationbooks-i-own lgbtqia-lit nonfiction9 s Em108 1 follower

my 1st book of 2022! 9 s Kori ?1,123 18

I WANT MORE TRANS POETRY5-stars lgbtqia poetry6 s Jules Nymo242 10

Written by trans for trans (and everyone else, of course, but especially trans), this collection of trans poetry shot through my heart and made it clear that despite everything, cisgender people, places that oppress us, hate us, beat us, order us around, and all that god awful stuff, there is such a thing as trans joy.

Generally, I am a fan of anything dark and traumatizing as a way to cope with my life, but it sure is nice to read something so beautiful and joyous. An epitome of how we can be happy. How trans people can coexist with the word 'happiness.' Yes, it's true; it's a possibility.

While I didn't love all of the poems, I enjoyed most of them and was so glad to stumble across this book. It was relatable on many levels - here's an excerpt I loved:

"Where we are taught
to love instead of to kill
ourselves"

because suicide is highly relevant to many trans people, this poem encourages you, us, to explore life outside that one haunting option we often think is the best one. Many of us don't think maybe we were meant to be here amongst so many people telling us we are not who we are when we are, making us deeply depressed and feeling suffocated, stuck. Mental health issues are severely high in the trans communities, so to have poems so light and happy was a bright reminder that, yes, we should stay and be with people who see us and be with people us, trans.

Another poem I d (an excerpt from the end of the poem) titled "Trans Day of Revenge"

on trans day of revenge
playgrounds will be full
of trans children laughing
learning & loving
isn't that the best
revenge.

If you're trans, this is for you. If you're not, well, I would still recommend it. It's a beautiful little collection.4 s Kazen1,402 307

This is a collection highlighting trans joy and gender euphoria, written by a trans person for trans folx. As such, it's not for me, and I appreciate the opportunity to peek at the liberated world Melt envisions.

My thoughts about this book largely echo that of their first - some of the ideas are going to rattle around my head for a while, but there were precious few lines that hit me the chest and stuck. I would highly suggest reading written by trans folx, though, as this is first and foremost a book for them.

Thanks to Haymarket Books for providing a review copy.3 s Effy146 47

Simply beautiful, I wish this collection had been longer! 4.5/5 stars.2021-reads poetry-and-verse queer ...more3 s Andrew Eder557 19

Very quick poetry read, but one that you can revisit over and over and pick something else out of it. I loooved the focus on trans JOY and gender EUPHORIA while also not ignoring the not so great parts. The poems are pretty manageable and down to earth, no major or wild inferring needed. There were some poems that really hit me and some that didn’t, but my cis opinion doesn’t carry really any weight on this topic. Nevertheless, my favorite poems were On Trans Street, Trans House, Take Me To The Trans Spa, Camp Trans, and Trans Museum (I’m thinking of somehow displaying these poems on my walls or something, that’s how much I d those poems!). 2 s Joycelyn243

I don't know how else to describe it other than a love letter. It felt I was reading a love letter. Whether the words were joyful or not. It felt a comforter? an ode to self...love letters.2 s Kora Dzbinski54 4

wanted to love this as a fellow Chicago trans bb but there is better trans poetry, better liberation poetry, and bolder work out there. still thankful to see it out in the world and would buy a copy for someone newly out or new to poetry in a heartbeat. the afterword and study guides are great.2 s Hannah Showalter312 35

Really loved all these poems about trans joy and community! books-i-own favorite-poetry2 s Ghee Buttersnaps529 1 follower

The flow of the poetry wasn’t my favorite, but the messages and representation are what make it a 42 s Eva Helena91

3,5 stars

Absolutely loved the trans joy that radiates from these pages, but poetry wise it wasn’t really my style. 2 s Java75

Not gender dysphoria but gender euphoria.2 s Kaid14

Thank you, H. Melt, for writing about trans joy and futures!2 s Bailey51

Wish I could give this one more than five stars tbh. 2 s Suzy247 29

Warm, inviting poetry imagining joyful trans futures!!

favorites: I Don’t Want a Trans President, Trans Templejewish queer trans-lit2 s Jessica Ranard145 15

In the afterword of There Are Trans People Here, H. Melt writes about the possibility of abolition, of liberation, of universal healthcare, of a world free of police. They write, "I know all of these things are possible because they are already happening." Which is . What these poems feel ? Possible because they are already happening. Already happening. Melt imagines a trans museum, a city of trans liberation, trans house, trans day of revenge, everything trans. I'm just. Taken aback, in the way where you start crying after a surprise party because you feel possible, you feel real, and that is what these poems do. These poems. They are odes to trans elders, to our friends, to history, to meal trains, to surgeries, to books, to slurs, to flowers, to our dreams. I read this book and I am marching and I am screaming: Yes! There are trans people here! favorites1 TheNextGenLibrarian2,296 34

Author and poet @hmeltchi shares their story and others through a poetry collection.

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