When Does the Haunting End, by Brianna Clara

Poetry, chapbook, 48 pages, from Bottlecap Features.

What is a poet if not haunted by the past? When Does The Haunting End is the closing chapter of first love. After finding out their boyfriend was a pathological liar, going through a tumultuous break up, and moving to a new continent alone, all in the span of one month, this poet could only think of one thing to do: write. Written during the first six months of her 19th year, this debut collection of poems is the raw and unfiltered story of heartbreak and the messy self-discovery that comes along with it

A mix of free verse, spoken word, and one liners, When Does the Haunting End is poetry as Brianna thinks it should be. Honest, easy to understand, and emotional. This chapbook takes the reader through the tale of this breakup as Brianna saw it, even using direct dialogue quotes from their final conversation. Going through all the stages of grief, writing this chapbook helped Brianna process her feelings and she hopes more than anything for it to do the same for others. If even just one reader feels seen through her words, then she has done her job. And if someone could tell her when or if the haunting does end, that would be great, she really would like to know.

Brianna Clara is a Dominican poetry and fiction writer born and raised in New York City. Growing up in NYC and being the eldest daughter in her single parent household have shaped who she is tremendously. Brianna started writing at five years old and never stopped. She takes inspiration through her own life as well as the stories of the people around her. She is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree at college in the US and hopes to travel and gain writing inspiration through the people she meets once she graduates in 2023. You can hear her read some of her work on tiktok @my.heart.in.spoken.words