• Age: 16 to 18
• Grade: 11 to 12

A book of poetry that explores love, desire and connection in the 21st century.

In this passionate sophomore collection of poetry, Ashley Obscura’s poetry explores the function of connection in a post-digital age and how one situates the self and creates meaning within the unions and chasms of our physical, virtual and spiritual selves. Ambient Technology occupies a space that bridges that gap between our visible and invisible worlds, between sentiment and emoji, between the opening and closing of heart matter. With great lust and desire, Obscura unearths something indestructible within ourselves, and lands amongst new tones of being and belonging in the sparkly lining of a too-real world.

Ashley Obscura's profile page

Ashley Obscura is a Canadian-Mexican writer, publisher and editor. She is the author of the poetry collections Ambient Technology and I Am Here (Metatron, 2014) and several digital poetry projects, including Museum of Symmetry (National Film Board, 2018). An earlier draft of Ambient Technology was shortlisted for Fence’s Modern Poets Prize in 2017 and Obscura was anthologized as one of Canada’s 30 Under 30 poets (With/Words Press, 2017). Her poetry has been anthologized in the United States and translated and published in Spain, Mexico, Argentina, Peru and Romania. The founder and managing editor of Metatron Press, Obscura currently lives in Montreal, Quebec.

“This book is the technology I want and need—of cosmic citizenship, opulent ecologies, feral vivariums of the self and of language. This is a technology that converts not getting the love you want into a vaster garden.”
- ERIN ROBINSONG, author of Wet Dream and Rag Cosmology

“A bouquet of miracles.”
- LIZ BOWEN, author of Sugarblood

“I recently read that the Navajo say that their healing songs are not for anyone; since they come from supernatural sources they are directed just to some people. If others hear them, they can be harmed. I was sad when I opened Ambient Technology, but Obscura showed me that there is a cosmic design to every feeling. Her book was a healing song for me.”
- CECILIA PAVÓN, author of Hotel with My Name

"Ashley Obscura has a way of using words to create such tender and bright images in your mind that leave you excited, enthralled and awakened. Her poetic language is soothing and embracing, and allows you to feel soft like you are floating in the womb. Read this book and relax yourself into the idea of channeling through space."
- FARIHA RÓISÍN, author of How to Cure a Ghost