ALL THE GAY SAINTS
ALL THE GAY SAINTS
All the Gay Saints is a celebrated collection of contemporary American poetry written by Kayleb Rae Candrilli. Originally published in May 2020 by Saturnalia Books, this second full-length collection solidified Candrilli’s voice within modern transgender literature and LGBTQ+ poetry, drawing widespread acclaim for its radiant depiction of trans joy, resilience, and bodily self-determination.
Author Profile & Context
Kayleb Rae Candrilli (they/them) is an acclaimed American poet and recipient of prestigious honors, including a Whiting Award in Poetry, a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship, and a Pew Fellowship in the Arts. Raised in rural Pennsylvania, Candrilli holds a B.A. and M.A. in Creative Writing from Penn State University, as well as an MFA and an MLIS from the University of Alabama. Their literary work often situates itself at the intersection of transgender liberation, environmental awareness, trauma, and intimate human connection.
Publication Info:
- Original Title: All the Gay Saints
- Author: Kayleb Rae Candrilli
- Publication Year: 2020 (Saturnalia Books)
- Literary Genre: Poetry Collection / LGBTQ+ Literature
- Movement / Current: Contemporary Transgender Poetry & Ekphrastic Verse
Themes and Artistic Structure
In All the Gay Saints, Candrilli constructs a sanctuary of hope and survival, explicitly choosing to highlight trans pleasure and tenderness alongside the realities of navigating a hostile world. Rather than dwelling solely on suffering, the collection sanctifies everyday moments of queer partnership, love, and physical autonomy.
Key dimensions of the work include:
- Sacredness of Self-Construction: The poems refashion traditional concepts of holiness, presenting trans bodily transformation as a deliberate, sacred act of creation.
- Ekphrastic Resonance: Many pieces in the collection engage directly with the visual art of Hernan Bas, weaving evocative dialogues between image and written word.
- Nature and Embodiment: The natural landscape functions both as a backdrop and a parallel to the changing body, illustrating how identity and environment continually shape one another.