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In and Out of Love
by Shelley Thrasher
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Pub Date
15 Dec 2016
| Archive Date
21 Jan 2017
Description
Lammy-nominated novelist, editor,
and college professor Shelley Thrasher, who grew up in a small, conservative
town in East Texas, was a late bloomer. Her first published poetry collection, In and Out of Love, chronicles personal
ups and downs during the 1980s and ’90s, when she came out. Most of these 150
brief, haiku-like poems feature images that speak for themselves, influenced by
poets such as Allen Ginsberg and Anne Waldman, with whom she studied writing. The first poems portray the crushes
and lovers the author was involved with during this period of her life. In part
two, they express the longing for something she didn’t understand. Section
three chronicles the painful rough spots she encountered during her journey of
accepting herself as a lesbian. And the final section celebrates being in love
with the woman she has now been joined with for twenty-five adventurous years.
Lammy-nominated novelist, editor,
and college professor Shelley Thrasher, who grew up in a small, conservative
town in East Texas, was a late bloomer. Her first published poetry collection, In and...
Description
Lammy-nominated novelist, editor,
and college professor Shelley Thrasher, who grew up in a small, conservative
town in East Texas, was a late bloomer. Her first published poetry collection, In and Out of Love, chronicles personal
ups and downs during the 1980s and ’90s, when she came out. Most of these 150
brief, haiku-like poems feature images that speak for themselves, influenced by
poets such as Allen Ginsberg and Anne Waldman, with whom she studied writing. The first poems portray the crushes
and lovers the author was involved with during this period of her life. In part
two, they express the longing for something she didn’t understand. Section
three chronicles the painful rough spots she encountered during her journey of
accepting herself as a lesbian. And the final section celebrates being in love
with the woman she has now been joined with for twenty-five adventurous years.
Advance Praise
Lee
Lynch talks about Shelley’s poetry:
Shelley Thrasher has a way of
imbuing even the unlikeliest of words with sensuality. She writes in the style
of the great lesbian Imagist poets H.D. and Amy Lowell. Her images are
crystalline: "...the sea gnaws at the beach...." Thrasher celebrates
life, even its deepest pain. She extols the glories of nature, classical times,
art, travel, coming out, and love. In
and Out of Love reads like a portrait of a woman who has seen the
good and bad sides of life and now finds herself deeply contented while, as she
titled one poem, "Peeling Summer Peaches."
Lee
Lynch talks about Shelley’s poetry:
Shelley Thrasher has a way of imbuing even the unlikeliest of words with sensuality. She writes in the style of the great lesbian Imagist poets H.D. and Amy...
Advance Praise
Lee
Lynch talks about Shelley’s poetry:
Shelley Thrasher has a way of
imbuing even the unlikeliest of words with sensuality. She writes in the style
of the great lesbian Imagist poets H.D. and Amy Lowell. Her images are
crystalline: "...the sea gnaws at the beach...." Thrasher celebrates
life, even its deepest pain. She extols the glories of nature, classical times,
art, travel, coming out, and love. In
and Out of Love reads like a portrait of a woman who has seen the
good and bad sides of life and now finds herself deeply contented while, as she
titled one poem, "Peeling Summer Peaches."
Available Editions
| EDITION |
Other Format |
| ISBN |
9781943353736 |
| PRICE |
US$7.95 (USD)
|
Additional Information
Available Editions
| EDITION |
Other Format |
| ISBN |
9781943353736 |
| PRICE |
US$7.95 (USD)
|
Average rating from 3 members
Featured Reviews
Eh S, Reviewer
This is a lovely collection of poems which mark stages in the life of the author, Shelley Thrasher. The early poems cover a burgeoning awareness of her sexuality and the longing which comes from this awakening. There are crushes and heartbreak along her road of discovery and the poems reflect her moods with beautiful imagery, words of wonder, sensuality and at times raw emotion. The final poems reflect her long term relationship with the woman she loves. They are filled with the peace and joy the author has found with her partner.
I liked the way the poems flowed from early crushes through “rough spots” and on to contentment. The opening tribute to Thrasher’s friend Cate Culpepper, Closing the Curtains, sets the tone for the entire anthology. I have my favourites, often the angry with an ex-lover poems and also the ones fill with wonder and discovery. I found myself highlighting one after another. This is one anthology I won’t be deleting from my various devices. It was a pleasure to read.
Here are some sneak previews I especially enjoyed.
After-Course
“What is this magic spell you’ve woven over me?”
“Sex,” she said.
“Pure and simple?”
“Pure, at least,” she said.
“But not simple.”
Bruised
My purple heart,
a boxing bag
battered by your bare fists.
Bonding
We talked around the clock,
with lips,tongues,
hands,bodies.
Making Love
Your rose-petal hands
move,tease,caress-
make me bloom.
ARC received with thanks from Sapphire Books Publishing via NetGalley for review.
Featured Reviews
Eh S, Reviewer
This is a lovely collection of poems which mark stages in the life of the author, Shelley Thrasher. The early poems cover a burgeoning awareness of her sexuality and the longing which comes from this awakening. There are crushes and heartbreak along her road of discovery and the poems reflect her moods with beautiful imagery, words of wonder, sensuality and at times raw emotion. The final poems reflect her long term relationship with the woman she loves. They are filled with the peace and joy the author has found with her partner.
I liked the way the poems flowed from early crushes through “rough spots” and on to contentment. The opening tribute to Thrasher’s friend Cate Culpepper, Closing the Curtains, sets the tone for the entire anthology. I have my favourites, often the angry with an ex-lover poems and also the ones fill with wonder and discovery. I found myself highlighting one after another. This is one anthology I won’t be deleting from my various devices. It was a pleasure to read.
Here are some sneak previews I especially enjoyed.
After-Course
“What is this magic spell you’ve woven over me?”
“Sex,” she said.
“Pure and simple?”
“Pure, at least,” she said.
“But not simple.”
Bruised
My purple heart,
a boxing bag
battered by your bare fists.
Bonding
We talked around the clock,
with lips,tongues,
hands,bodies.
Making Love
Your rose-petal hands
move,tease,caress-
make me bloom.
ARC received with thanks from Sapphire Books Publishing via NetGalley for review.
