Liquid Nitrogen (poetry collection)

Liquid Nitrogen

Author	Jennifer Maiden
Language	English
Genre	Poetry collection
Publisher	Giramondo Publishing
Publication date	2012
Publication place	Australia
Media type	Print
Pages	86 pp.
Awards	2014 Victorian Premier's Literary Awards – Victorian Prize for Literature, winner
ISBN	9781920882990

Liquid Nitrogen is a collection of poems by Australian poet Jennifer Maiden, published by Giramondo Publishing in 2012. ^[1]

The collection contains 21 poems.

The collection won the 2014 Victorian Premier's Literary Awards – Victorian Prize for Poetry, and the Victorian Premier's Literary Awards – Victorian Prize for Literature. ^[2] It was shortlisted for the Griffin International Poetry Prize ^[3]

Contents

• "The Year of the Ox"
• "Sphinx on Stilts"
• "Coal"
• "A Great Education"
• "Poor Petal"
• "Liquid Nitrogen"
• "George Jeffreys 13 : George Jeffreys Woke up in Beijing"
• "George Jeffreys 14 : George Jeffreys Woke Up in Sharm el Sheikh"
• "Emerald-Cut"
• "Hillary and Eleanor 8 : The Audience"
• "Hillary and Eleanor 9 : The Pearl Roundabout"
• "In the International Pavilion"
• "Deep River"
• "Diary Poem: Uses of Liquid Nitrogen"
• "Diary Poem : Uses of the Civil War"
• "Diary Poem : Uses of Powerlessness"
• "Sydney Confidential"
• "Circling the High Notes"
• "Carina"
• "My Heart Has an Embassy"
• "Well Inside Fireground"

Critical reception

Writing in Australian Book Review Kate Middleton noted that "Jennifer Maiden has for a long time been one of Australia's most politically engaged poets" and went on to comment that "Her political engagement results in poetry that feels necessary, as if it might just matter." ^[4]

In Sydney Review of Books Gig Ryan also noted on the political aspect of the poems: "Liquid Nitrogen scans a media-embossed politics, unrolling theories amid dailiness, and preserves a mind ceaselessly in action, armed and complete with its 'machine of memories'." ^[5]

Notes

• Dedication: For Katharine Margot

Awards

• 2014 Victorian Premier's Literary Awards – Victorian Prize for Poetry ^[2]
• 2014 Victorian Premier's Literary Awards – Victorian Prize for Literature ^[2]
• 2013 Prime Minister's Literary Awards – Poetry, shortlisted ^[6]
• 2013 Griffin International Poetry Prize Shortlist ^[7]

See also

• 2012 in Australian literature

References

1. "Liquid Nitrogen by Jennifer Maiden". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
2. "Victorian Premier's Literary Awards 2014". Victorian Premier's Literary Awards. 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
3. Griffin Poetry Prize"Griffin Poetry Prize Jennifer Maiden, Australia", griffinpoetryprize.com.
4. ""Liquid Nitrogen by Jennifer Maiden"". Australian Book Review, February 2013. 27 January 2013. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
5. ""Subtle persuasive protest: Liquid Nitrogen by Jennifer Maiden"". Sydney Review of Books, 25 February 2013. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
6. "Awards: Aussie Prime Minister's Literary". Shelf Awareness . 26 August 2013. Archived from the original on 24 October 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
7. Griffin Poetry Prize, "Griffin Poetry Prize Jennifer Maiden, Australia", griffinpoetryprize.com.