zoom_in Click to enlarge

IRL

▲ ▼

description IRL Overview

IRL is a book-length poetry collection published in 2016 by Kumeyaay poet Tommy Pico. The text is formatted to visually mimic a continuous, unbroken stream of text messages, utilizing internet shorthand and modern colloquialisms. Through this digital framework, Pico explores themes of contemporary Indigenous identity, queer sexuality, and the emotional fatigue of constant online connectivity. It was widely reviewed for its unique structural format and its examination of the intersection between modern technology and historical marginalization.

help IRL FAQ

Why is Tommy Pico's IRL written like a long text message?

The scrolling form reproduces the interruptions, abbreviations, jokes, and abrupt shifts of digital conversation. Across that single extended poem, Pico connects online life with queer desire, loneliness, food, pop culture, and Kumeyaay identity.

Is IRL a novel or a poetry collection?

IRL is a book-length poem published in 2016, not a conventional novel or assortment of separate lyrics. Its continuous voice helped launch Pico's four-book Teebs cycle.

Who is Teebs in IRL?

Teebs is the poem's speaker and a recurring persona closely connected to Pico's own experiences. The voice is intimate but crafted, so readers should not treat every statement as straightforward autobiography.

Which books continue the project begun in IRL?

Nature Poem, Junk, and Feed follow IRL in Pico's Teebs tetralogy. The books continue using expansive, conversational poetry to examine Indigenous identity, desire, consumption, and contemporary culture.

swap_horiz

Looking for IRL alternatives? Compare top competitors ranked & scored

arrow_forward