Table of Contents
Letter from the Editors 17
Made of Lightning: On Body and Identity
Estephania Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz 21
Shoulda been Jimi Savannah Patricia Smith 23
When Tip Drill Comes on at the Frat Party or, When Refusing to Twerk is a Radical form of Self-Love Fatimah Asghar 25
I Sing the Body Electric, Especially When My Power's Out Andrea Gibson 26
Black Girl from Beverly Encounters the Messy Bun Jamila Woods 30
The Last Spell of the Sea Witch Karen Finneyfrock 31
Private Parts Sarah Kay 32
On a Mission Trip to Philadelphia I Begin to Fear the Inside of My Body Tract Brimhall 34
13 Aracelis Girmay 36
The Hurricane Sermons: On Endurance and Truths
Amethyst Rockstar Sara Brickman 39
7 Things I Never Told My Older Sister, Because I Know Better, In Reverse Chronological Order Mindy Nettifee 41
Synonyms for Courage (In the Key of Bipolar) Shira Erlichman 42
Love Thy Neighbor Gypsee Yo Jonida Beqo 44
A Letter to the Playground Bully, From Andrea, Age 8½ Andrea Gibson 48
The Thing I Said That During Gym Shaney Jean Maney 52
Thelma Todd Amber Tamblyn 53
Forest Fires Sarah Kay 56
For Teeth: On Power and Protection
Una Oración Rachel McKibbens 61
Jessica Gypsee Yo Jonida Beqo 62
The First Time I Hit A Boy Mindy Nettifee 64
My Girls Hollis Wong-Wear 65
South America Addresses Her Latest Conquistador April Ranger 68
Poem for Repelling Ghosts Karen Finneyprock 70
December Erica Miriam Fabri 71
Swarm Jeanann Verlee 73
In Case You Ever Need It, It Is Here Daphne Gottlieb 74
How to Eat Sugarcane: On Love and Loss
The Crush Karen Finneyfrock 79
Remembering the Night We Met Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz 80
For My Childhood Best Friend, Before She Loses Her Virginity in the Balcony of Our High-School Theater When we Are 14: A One Sided Balcony Scene Sara Brickman 81
The Wild Divine Ada Limón 83
If My Love for You Were An Animal Jennifer L. Knox 84
The First Shira Erlichman 85
1943 Jessica Helen Lopez 86
Are all the Break-Ups In Your Poems Real? Aimee Nezhukumatathil 90
From the Echo Chamber: On Being and Becoming
A Day in the Life of a Woman Sonya Renee 93
13 Ways of Looking At 13 Patricia Smith 94
A Poem for My Breasts Jessica Helen Lopez 99
The Waiting Room of the Gyn Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz 100
First Blood After Franny Choi 101
Eclipse Aimee Nezhukumatathil 102
Count Rachel McKibbens 103
Aubade with a Broken Neck Traci Brimhall 104
Bloodline: On Family and Faith
On Living Aracelis Girmay 107
Dear Mom Fatimah Asghar 108
Mother in Grey Scale Denise Jolly 110
The Tooth Fairy Dorianne Laux 111
Deeper Than Dirt Rachel McKibbens 113
A Faith Like Yours Mayda Del Valle 114
The Fidelity of Calendars Marty McConnell 117
Poem for Aimee Rose April Ranger 119
Mirror Anthems: On Esteem and Exposure
The Fidelity of Seeking Marty McConnell 123
Etymology of the Beauty Shop Jamila Woods 125
Pretty Shanks Jean Maney 128
Alliance Patricia Smith 131
What It's Like for a Brown Girl Jessica Helen Lopez 133
Firefly Sara Brickman 136
The Audition Amber Tamblyn 138
On Withdrawing Franny Choi 140
Bloom Tara Hardy 141
The Wild Language of Stars: On Healing and Living
Daughter Brynn Saito 145
Disciple Mindy Nettifee 147
The Saving Tree Ada Limon 149
I'm Not Ready to Die Yet Aracelis Girmay 150
Oklahoma Jan Richman 153
The Nutritionist Andrea Gibson 154
My, My, My, My, My Tara Hardy 158
Girl with Red Bicycle Gypsee Yo (Jonida Beqo) 160
Get More Courage 161
About The Authors 163
Notes and Acknowledgements 179
