Kate Baer’s collection focuses on the friction between maternal identity and individual desire. The poems document the repetitive nature of domestic labor, the strain of long-term marriage, and the societal pressures placed on women's bodies. Baer uses sharp, observational language to describe the physical realities of raising children, the exhaustion of the digital age, and the preservation of friendships. She addresses specific experiences like navigating intrusive comments from strangers and the quiet evolution of intimacy within a suburban setting.
This book is intended for women navigating the middle years of life who feel a disconnect between their public roles and private needs. Readers turn to these poems to find their frustrations and mundane joys mirrored in plain, direct vernacular. The volume provides a sense of recognition regarding the complexity of modern womanhood. A reader walks away with a vocabulary for the invisible work they perform and a validated perspective on the contradictions of loving a family while seeking personal autonomy.
- Published
- 2022
- Language
- EN
