The human experience, inherently tied to physicality, remains central to our understanding of ourselves and each other. Men, like everyone, navigate complex relationships with their bodies—moulded by cultural expectations, societal pressures, and personal journeys.

The anthology ‘Contours of Him’, edited by Dr Malachi Edvin Vetamani, stands as a powerful testament to poetry’s ability to dismantle traditional and often rigid expectations placed upon men. From long-established ideals of strength and stoicism to the unspoken limitations on vulnerability and emotional expression, this collection serves as both mirror and magnifying glass—reflecting the social pressures men face that rarely enter public discourse.

Much as women contend with appearance-based expectations, men similarly encounter demanding standards related to physicality and performance. ‘Contours of Him’ captures the emotional toll of these pressures with remarkable sensitivity, providing a voice for experiences that frequently remain unspoken. The anthology doesn’t merely document struggle; it celebrates the male form through a poetic lens, offering readers an opportunity to appreciate men’s bodies with unprecedented depth and nuance.

Contributors to this compelling work hail from diverse cultural backgrounds around the globe, presenting richly varied and authentic representations of masculinity that explore dimensions previously left uncharted. This international perspective proves particularly valuable, as different societies impose unique demands on men’s bodies—from tribal scarification rituals that symbolise coming of age, to corporate dress codes that enforce Western standards of professionalism, to religious practices that dictate specific bodily disciplines.

Where cultural narratives often reduce men’s bodies to symbols of power or vehicles of performance, this anthology delves into the intensely personal and emotional experiences of embodiment. Through carefully crafted verse, poets examine how men perceive their changing forms—from the subtle transformations of ageing to confrontations with illness, from questioning beauty standards to wrestling with self-worth.

By articulating men’s inner lives through sophisticated poetry, the anthology creates vital spaces where readers can connect, understand, and feel recognised. The body emerges as our shared human inheritance, and examining it through poetry fosters empathy and dismantles barriers between individuals across cultures. Just as there exists no singular template for womanhood, masculinity resists reduction to any single model. Men experience their bodies in myriad ways, influenced by culture, sexuality, identity, and personal history.

‘Contours of Him’ showcases this rich variety, rendering visible experiences that might otherwise remain obscured. One particularly moving piece examines intergenerational understandings of masculinity through descriptions of physical labour and tenderness, demonstrating how meaning becomes inscribed upon the body. Another standout explores vulnerability through the metaphor of learning to move through water, challenging conventional expectations of masculine competence and control.

The anthology’s structure itself reflects bodily experience, organised into sections that mirror physical and emotional states: “Strength and Fragility”, “Desire and Restraint”, “Visible and Invisible”. This thoughtful arrangement encourages readers to consider how these seemingly opposing experiences coexist within individual lives across different cultural contexts.

What distinguishes this anthology is its refusal to settle for simple answers or comfortable conclusions. Instead, it embraces contradiction and complexity—acknowledging that men’s relationships with their bodies often involve concurrent pride and shame, confidence and insecurity, celebration and concealment. By presenting these tensions without resolving them, the contributors honour the authentic messiness of human experience.

The language employed throughout ranges from starkly plainspoken to richly metaphorical, reflecting the varied ways men communicate about physical experience globally. Some poets employ clinical precision, others reach for mythological imagery specific to their cultural traditions, whilst still others adopt colloquial directness. This diversity of expression underscores the anthology’s central insight: there exists no single vocabulary for articulating bodily existence.

‘Contours of Him’ also addresses how external perceptions shape men’s self-understanding across different societies. Several poems explore the impact of being viewed—sometimes with desire, sometimes with judgment, sometimes with indifference—and how these perspectives become internalised. In this way, the anthology examines not just how men see themselves, but how they understand themselves as being seen within their particular cultural contexts.

Particularly noteworthy is the anthology’s exploration of ageing masculinity—a subject often overlooked in cultural conversations worldwide. Poems confront physical decline with unflinching honesty whilst discovering unexpected grace in transformation. These works challenge prevailing narratives that equate masculine worth with youth and vitality.

The anthology also refuses to shy away from illness and disability, presenting bodies that deviate from normative expectations. Through these explorations, contributors challenge reductive definitions of masculine strength, suggesting alternative frameworks that honour resilience, adaptation, and vulnerability as equally valid expressions of manhood across cultural boundaries.

In its totality, ‘Contours of Him’ brings remarkable depth to our understanding of men and their bodies, helping to redefine masculinity in ways that are more compassionate, complex, and authentic. By inviting readers into intimate relationships with the physical male form as experienced across diverse cultures, this anthology advances our collective conversation about gender and embodiment. It reminds us that the body—with all its limitations and possibilities—remains our primary vehicle for experiencing the world, and that poetry offers unparalleled access to these fundamental truths of human existence.

About the editor:

Dr. Malachi Edwin Vethamani is a prominent Malaysian poet, writer, educator, and academic. Born in 1955 in Kuala Lumpur, he has made significant contributions to Malaysian literature, particularly through his poetry and scholarly work. He completed his higher education at the University of Malaya and later earned a Ph.D. in Literature from the University of Nottingham, UK. Dr. Vethamani has held various academic positions, including teaching at Universiti Putra Malaysia and serving as the founding dean at Wawasan Open University and Taylor’s University.

As a poet, Dr. Vethamani’s work explores themes of identity, cultural complexities, and the human experience. His poetry collections include Complicated Lives (2016), Life Happens (2017), and The Seven O’clock Tree (2022). He is also the author of the short story collection Coitus Interruptus and Other Stories (2018). In addition to his literary work, Dr. Vethamani has edited volumes such as Malchin Testament and Malaysian Millennial Voices. His scholarly research focuses on Malaysian literature in English, New Literatures, and New Englishes.

Dr. Vethamani has received numerous accolades, including the Vice-Chancellor’s Achievement Medal and the Malaysian English Language Teaching Association Special Award. His work continues to shape the discourse surrounding Malaysian literature and education.

By Nadia Alba