Love Letters and Pocket Knives

(Paperback)

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Embark on a raw and intimate journey through love, resilience, and self-discovery with J.J. Celli's debut poetry collection, delving into the delicate balance between tenderness and toughness, told from a queer perspective.

In Love Letters and Pocket Knives, J.J. Celli opens the window to her soul, inviting us to take a close and intimate look at the raw and unfiltered moments. Through evocative imagery and heartfelt storytelling, these poems explore the myriad shades of love from the euphoria of new beginnings to the bittersweet ache of farewell.

In this autobiographical collection, each poem reads like a mini-memoir, weaving together the threads of trauma, intimacy, love, and resiliency. These poems stand strong with brave vulnerability confidently confronting those experiences in life that haunt us so we can quit ghosting ourselves.

As the title suggests, Love Letters and Pocket Knives explores the delicate dance between tenderness and toughness. From the gentle caress of a love letter to the sharp cut of a pocket knife, we are reminded it is this beautiful complexity and balance that continues to encourage these human hearts to love.

Reviews

"J.J. Celli's debut poetry collectiontakes one on a hard-hitting, razor's edge, yet cathartic journey down sensual backroads and city streets dimly lit by "suede, rawhide moons" all ending in the wisdom and peace achieved through struggle, endurance, and the courage to be oneself.This is truly a memorable, unapologetic, and poignant collection of poetry, allowing us a glimpse, as only an artist can, into the complexities and truths of the human condition." Loren Broaddus, author of Joe DiMaggio Moves Like Liquid Light

"The poems in Love Letters & Pocket Knives unfold into a collective portrait of unsparingly intimate interior landscapes, by turns confessional and tough, brutal and tender, rigorous and redemptive. Celli offers rugged, poignant breadcrumbs reminding us there is "still something left to save," even if-and perhaps most especially whenit is ourselves." Maya Stein, Poet Laureate of Belfast, Maine

Author Bio

J.J. Celli is a queer writer from the Chicago area, where she is active in the spoken word poetry scene. Celli spent over two decades fighting crime and working as a major crimes/homicide detective, later retiring as a Sergeant. As a survivor of intimate partner gun violence, she is passionate and dedicated to educating others on domestic violence in same-sex relationships, while also advocating for the LGBTQ community. Love Letters and Pocket Knives is her first collection.