Alien(s), by Yael Valencia Aldana

Poetry, chapbook, 24 pages, from Bottlecap Features.

In Alien(s), Yael Valencia Aldana traces love’s intimate trails from New York to Miami. With attentive language that is sometimes lyrical and sometimes Brooklyn real, she reckons with her multi-faceted relationships. Her precise poems navigate the complex waters of a boyfriend and ex-husband that look almost identical, soulmate friendships, love going right, affection gone wrong, and a woman confident in her flawed skin.

Who do we love? How do you love? Alien(s) is a spicy and focused collection that is one woman’s answer to these questions. It is rich with both love’s sharp bite and its delicious prickle. It is a raw journey that does not spare herself but is an unflinching love letter to our hearts’ imperfect angels.

Yael Valencia Aldana is a Caribbean Afro-Latinx writer and poet. She is a descendant of the indigenous people of modern-day Colombia. She was born on the Caribbean Island of Barbados then moved Brooklyn, New York. She currently lives in South Florida, where she went to school for a very long time. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in Stonecoast Review, South Florida Poetry Journal, and Cutbank Literary Journal, among others. She teaches Creative Writing and lives with her son and too many pets. You can find her online at YaelAldana.com.