{"product_id":"clemld","title":"Clementines and Other Wounds, by Lucy Dale","description":"\u003cp align=\"justify\"\u003e\u003cem\u003ePoetry, chapbook, 24 pages, from \u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #2b00ff;\"\u003e\u003ca style=\"color: #2b00ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/bottlecap.press\/collections\/bottlecap-features\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eBottlecap Features\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp align=\"justify\"\u003eThis chapbook is a poetic exploration of identity, vulnerability, and the nuanced experiences of femininity. Through a series of personal and reflective pieces, the poems draw from the tension between societal expectations and individual self-realization. Poems like \"Bad Feminist\" and \"Post-It Note Removal\" highlight the internal struggle of reconciling traditional roles with the desire for independence and self-expression. In \"Bad Feminist\", the speaker grapples with the contradiction of desiring love from a man while maintaining feminist ideals. At the same time, \"Post-It Note Removal\" presents love as a tedious and externalized task, a chore that contrasts with the softness and tenderness for which the speaker yearns.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp align=\"justify\"\u003eThe collection weaves together intimate and everyday moments with more profound reflections on family, longing, and growth. In \"Missing Pearls\", the speaker touches on the loss of a family heirloom and the emotional distance felt from their mother, juxtaposed against a constant reminder of shared traits. \"G\" and \"May Night\" offer meditations on selfhood, from the permanent mark of a tattoo to the fleeting connection between two people, revealing a complex relationship with memory, love, and personal transformation. Similarly, \"Dog Costume Parade\" connects the mundane with the profound, as the speaker reflects on the seemingly trivial moment of a parade, remembering a deceased grandfather, and considering how simple, happy things can elicit more profound reflections on family and loss.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp align=\"justify\"\u003eThemes of waiting and self-discovery permeate throughout the chapbook. In \"Late Bloomer\", the speaker compares their growth to that of a late-blooming flower, patiently waiting for the right moment to flourish. \"Treading Water\" conveys a sense of emotional stasis, where the speaker is caught between love and uncertainty, questioning the role of convenience and sacrifice in relationships. The chapbook also examines mental health, as seen in \"Yellow Flamingos\" where the speaker confronts feelings of isolation and anxiety, represented by the relentless presence of yellow flamingos. With its vulnerability and raw emotion, this chapbook invites readers to reflect on their own complexities, exploring what it means to navigate the contradictions of identity, love, and belonging.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp align=\"justify\"\u003eLucy Dale is a sophomore at Denison University studying English with a Creative Writing emphasis and Women’s \u0026amp; Gender Studies. She graduated from Interlochen Arts Academy, where she studied Creative Writing. Lucy is originally from Cleveland, OH. Her writing has been published in literary magazines such as \u003cem\u003eSink Hollow\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eThe Allegheny Review\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eOne Art\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eGyroscope Review\u003c\/em\u003e, and \u003cem\u003eRemington Review\u003c\/em\u003e. In 2024, she was the third-place recipient of the Annie MacNeill Poetry Competition at Denison University. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Lucy Dale","offers":[{"title":"Chapbook","offer_id":50016764592443,"sku":"CLEMLD","price":10.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital Download (PDF)","offer_id":50016764625211,"sku":"CLEMLDe","price":7.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0062\/4420\/4614\/files\/clementinesfront.png?v=1739307238","url":"https:\/\/bottlecap.press\/products\/clemld","provider":"Bottlecap Press","version":"1.0","type":"link"}