Been grappling with a new season and chapter of life for some time now. We don’t talk nearly enough about the changing reproductive stages as we age and when we do it’s more whispers and gestures wrapped in some warped sense of shame rather than declarative and regarded as natural occurance, part of life experience of many birthing persons. Doing so just might have a whole lot more of us better-informed, feeling supported, not left out in the lurch, siloed and white-knuckling through our days during that time.
Well, as I age with grace and a congenital disability that impacts my mobility, I’m finding it merging with creative stride and over time a little digital book baby formed. This is a micro chapbook of poetry that explores the perimenopausal phase of physical and mental heath, hormonal highs, middle, and lows. And here it goes.
It was born out of this period of life I’m wading in and sifting through while trying to make sense and acclimate self on this conveyor belt. I’ve made it free for economic access but if you dig feel free to leave something in support. The “tip jars” are on the end page.
Special thanks to Kesiena Boom for editing and Jennifer White-Johnson for dope cover art!
The book cover is below and my e-book baby is here.
image description of cover art: 3 large red splotches with edges that bleed slightly, there are white lights within the red splotches, and blue and smaller pink wavy frenetic lines, bold white lettering reads: “When The Lights Are Loud: Anxiety Rides While Cruising Through The Change of Life, Heather Watkins”