Second Fleet Baby

A powerful exploration of birth, motherhood, and colonial history through the voices of convict women.

Second Fleet Baby delves into the lives of 18th and 19th-century convict women, including the author's ancestor transported on the Lady Juliana. Rhook reconciles her settler role on stolen land with the love and euphoria of parenthood, tracing intergenerational ties through the body's soft weapons. These poems connect nation-making intimacies with reproduction politics in personal ways.

For readers of Australian poetry, history, and social justice, this collection challenges dominant narratives and explores the complexities of birth, motherhood, and settler identity. Discover the untold stories of convict women and their enduring impact on Australia.