Lana Del Rey’s book of poetry, Violet Bent Backwards Over the Grass, has been a long time in the making. Del Rey first announced the book and accompanying ‘spoken word’ album as having a January 4 release date, but it got delayed following the theft of her sister Chuck Grant’s artwork.
Now, The FADER reports that both the book and audiobook have been listed on Amazon and Waterstones with their full release schedule. While the 112-page hardcover format version of Violet Bent Backwards Over the Grass won’t be out until September 29, the audiobook will arrive sooner, on July 28.
The 33-minute audiobook features 14 poems from the collection set to music by producer Jack Antonoff. Its title derives from the first poem Del Rey wrote, according to the listing. Other poem titles include “LA Who Am I to Love You?”, “The Land of 1,000 Fires”, “Past the Bushes Cypress Thriving”, “Never to Heaven”, “Tessa DiPietro”, and “Happy”.
The listing contains a statement from Lana Del Rey discussing the poems: “Violet Bent Backwards Over the Grass is the title poem of the book and the first poem I wrote of many. Some of which came to me in their entirety, which I dictated and then typed out, and some that I worked laboriously picking apart each word to make the perfect poem. They are eclectic and honest and not trying to be anything other than what they are and for that reason I’m proud of them, especially because the spirit in which they were written was very authentic.”
Despite previous statements, the book will cost more than one dollar. However, Del Rey is still honouring her commitment to donate proceeds to Native American charities. On Instagram, she revealed that she is attempting to raise $1,035,000 for the Navajo Water Project over the coming month.
