Preface Dear Readers, Poetry, like life, changes and takes on different meanings and directions as we change and grow. Each of the poems in this book demonstrates that process of change for me. From a young adult's perspective, these poems create a sense of the world I lived in and embraced. Whether it was failed romances or learning to love my body or embracing my role as a powerful woman, each poem is a symbol of that realization. I could tell you that what you read in the next 100 pages will be encouraging, uplifting, and inspirational. I could also tell you that it will be angsty, depressed, and hopeless. Both are true. This book is about a journey, specifically, my journey, though I hope to share it with all of you. I have found that life is full of beautiful surprises, but also full of challenges. It's full of love, but also heartbreak. Culture, but also ignorance. My hope for this book is that it painstakingly reflects life, from the perspective of a 19-year-old woman. One thing I expect to be noticed about this poetry book is that it is in 5 parts. I ask that you consider each part to be a stepping-stone within our journey. They are broken, but reassembled, scenes of the life I have been witness to and a part of for the past nearly two decades.
About the Author: about the Author Jocelyn Mosman is 19 years old and attends Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts. Outside of poetry, she is majoring in English and Politics. She is a Pre-Law student with experience in family and criminal law. She plans to attend Law School, and then pursue a career in international Human Rights Law, working with the United Nations. This is Mosman's second poetry book, following Soul Music, which was released March 2013. She has been published in multiple anthologies, including Unitarian Universalist Church of Midland's Solice and Interlude, Permian Basin Chapter, Poetry Society of Texas Wind, Sand, and Sky, Brian Wrixon's Summer Poetry, and several national anthologies, including Creative Communication's A Celebration of Poets, The American Library of Poetry's Gifted, and Poetry.com's Immortal Verses. In addition to her publication in anthologies, she also recently published an anthology, featuring 16 poets from West Texas, entitled We Are The 500. Mosman has also been published in Rogue Particles Magazine, Cum Laude Weekly, Drunk Monkeys, Decanto Publications, Teen Ink, Red Fez, Crack the Spine, and Silver Birch Press. Mosman is the founder of West Texas Poets. She is also a member of the Conscious Poets Society, the Poetry Society of Texas, and Northampton Poetry. She was President of the Permian Basin Chapter, Poetry Society of Texas from 2013-2014. Mosman has performed at various venues across West Texas and Massachusetts. A few of her spoken word awards include first place at a poetry slam in June 2013, third place at a haiku head to head in January 2014, cash prize poetry slam winner in March 2014, host and opening performer at Mary Lambert's concert in February 2014, and Poetry Jam participant and opening performer for Striver's Row poets Miles Hodges and Alysia Harris in October 2013. After a decade of writing poetry, Mosman has formulated a family of poets that stretch from Massachusetts to India to Europe to Texas. She is hoping to release a spoken word album within the next year of her poetry being performed. Poetry is not always meant to be read, but is always meant to be felt.