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theladylovestoread's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
ashley_wohner's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
3.0
I read I Hope This Finds You Well (5☆) first, and I probably wouldn't have picked it up if I had read this collection first.
mepresley's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
3.5
This is a feminist collection with poems centered on female friendships, marriage, motherhood, and personal/ professional critiques (of her “political” poetry).
The epigraph awesomely comes from Margaret Atwood’s “Helen of Troy Does Countertop Dancing”:
The epigraph awesomely comes from Margaret Atwood’s “Helen of Troy Does Countertop Dancing”:
You think I'm not a goddess?
Try me.
This is a torch song.
Touch me and you'll burn.
“Advice for Former Selves"
Burn your speeches, your instructions,
your prophecies too. ...
...Do not
set sail on someone else's becoming, their voice
in your throat. ...
....
When you emerge with crystals in one hand,
revenge in the other, remember the humble
barn swallow who returns in spring. If not
for her markings, another bird entirely.
“Moon Song"
...You can dance on the graves you dug
on Tuesday, pulling out the bones of yourself
you began to miss. ...
“To Take Back a Life"
First, you must learn desire. Hold its
fruit in your hands. Unmarry it from
the hunger to be held, to be wanted, to
be called from the streets like the family
dog. You are not a good girl. You are not
somebody's otherness. ...
“Some Nights"
There she stares up at the slender moon
and thinks about the baby albatross filled
with discarded spoons or the time a friend
asked what she was working on these days
and she answered, "Who has the time?"
even though she meant something else
entirely.
“Why You Shouldn't Marry Me"
...In another life
I was a dancer: black eyes,
sharp teeth, the kind of
mouth to make your mother
scream. ...
....
...If
you listen, I will tell you all
the ways I have betrayed you.
Line them up, secure the
edges, turn them into stars.
“Mother's Mind"
...I am one step ahead of howling,
one breath shy of grief. Take my hands and reveal
the living. Rip the seam out of the story sewn. ...
....
...At night I tuck my dread into the covers,
check its pulse before the dawn.
You ask: how can I keep this tired practice. I ask:
how can I leave this haunting place?
“For My Daughter on a Bad Day"
Life will rough you up. Throw you to the
shore like a wave crashing--sand in your
hair, blood in your teeth. When grief sits
with you, hand dipped with rage, let it
linger. Hold its pulse in your hands. ...
....
this is not the worst of it. And if it is?
Listen for the catbird calling. No matter
the wreckage, they still sing for you.
jillianhd's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
Authentic and soulful collection that covers the breadth of womanhood.
dembury's review against another edition
4.0
On a personal level I enjoyed many of these poems because I could really connect to the emotions behind what Baer was writing; there was a lot of obvious heart and heat to her words, and it made for some stunning reading. Her poems on her body especially spoke to me, and I think her "Motherload" and "Nothing Tastes as Good as Skinny Feels" are two standout pieces in this collection. My main critique is that at times Baer leaves a bit too much unsaid, and just as soon as a poem begins to pick up traction she ends it, causing the whole thing to feel a bit unfinished. Some pieces felt like they lacked a punch because of this, but when Baer carries through it REALLY shows!
courtney_saba's review against another edition
5.0
What a wonderful, poignant, and lovely collection this is. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to know what poetry and beauty is.
From the simple to the more complex, the poet excels and maneuvers words expertly. Such a delightful read.
From the simple to the more complex, the poet excels and maneuvers words expertly. Such a delightful read.
nanlikesbooks14's review against another edition
5.0
What a beautiful collection of poems about being a woman, marriage, the way a body changes and grows over time and the joys/terrors of parenthood. I keep thinking about “Moon Song”, “Some Nights”, “What Kind of Man” and “The Martian”