... for mary oliver simply not my favorite. always queen of the white woman poetry scene for me, but this book did not quite resonate the way others have. i truly appreciated the sweet dog poems; however, these stanza's unearthed my unending ache for a little dog while stationed away at war in D.C. there were a few true hits that i would read aloud to my mother, but nothing to write home to mom about

perfect to read while IN BED at 2 pm thinking about the endless possibility of fireworks later on 

one of the best insights into the struggle of native peoples and their ripped traumas of the trail of tears that I have ever read. previous to this art piece, i am ashamed to acknowledge the majority of my understanding of this tragic event was learned in texas classrooms in glossed-over textbook pages --  if even, usually mere paragraphs. these poems provided a rich history, deep understanding, and emotional context to the repercussions of our past while simultaneously illuminating paths of brilliant guidance for our future. 

perfect to read on july fourth, your first day off in months, at a coffee shop with mediocre cinnamon rolls

wow what a find this collection has Everything
- falling in love with a white man
- hatred of america and our forced otherness
- hatred of the aforementioned white man 
- falling in love with the way our people have harnessed their positions in america for cultural liberty, through rubber bands and plastic bags
- falling in lost love all over again

great read while alone at an over-priced asian fusion restaurant on 14th

perfect read for when you move across the country with nothing but hopes, dreams, and a laptop without hospital access. i needed this laugh; i needed these reminders of friendship and love; i needed a sapphic love story between an orc and a succubus. who would've thought

felt like a story i heard as a child retold in the voice of a witty and soft-spoken poet. i loved the composition, the tale, and the characters that the author interwove in the telling of this hazy and beautiful dream

i'm sure this did something for someone but as for me and my henna... 

aaaaaaanother perfectly okay gay romance except i will never look at a christmas wreath the same again. there is something to found family that found it's root in these pages but somehow never fully blossomed for me. i enjoyed parts of the goofy camp / scavenger hunt / divorce with an ex boyfriend name but i do resign to the fact that i have never been (and will never go) to oovoo javer

perfectly cute little gay book. even threw in the frustrating communication issues that plague the straight romance novels! equality love is love (but all in all a lovely read)

one of my favorite books of all time. this novel taught me as a child the ways i still live by as an adult. there is innate value in caring for the people around you, in pouring your love out no matter who you’re with, in serving others in the same ways you would serve yourself. i will always always always remember the empathy and compassion this book taught me to have for each and every person you come into contact with. my passion for volunteering and sharing my talents comes nearly directly from this novel. i can never thank this author enough for the messages she imparted and the wisdom she shared 

some gems some nothings but overall these were interesting short stories to simply think through. the writing was flawed by repetition of themes and ideas that scraped away at the impact of this collection but interesting nonetheless