Sweet Juice and Ruby-Bitter Seed startles the reader into wakefulness. Deceptively simple, sometimes pastoral, this courageous book consistently chooses honesty over sentiment. In doing so, it builds trust, invites companionship. Unafraid of grief, deeply caring, never jaded, the poems are raw and tender. In “A Northerner Faces East” she writes:

What millions of breaths have I
not noticed, my brother whispered
just before his last one.

Her husband’s death, her rural southern childhood, simple joys, terrible loss—all are shared with generosity. We are offered a glimpse of what it might be to live together bravely.

—Scudder Parker, author, Safe as Lightning
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Publisher : Kelsay Books (May 14, 2023)
Language : English
Paperback : 90 pages
ISBN-10 : 1639802878
ISBN-13 : 978-1639802876
Item Weight : 6.7 ounces
Dimensions : 6 x 0.23 x 9 inches