Don't let go. Now swing., by Colleen Hugo

Poetry, chapbook, 28 pages, from Bottlecap Features. Don’t let go. Now swing. details an almost painfully earnest love for the people and places that the author has thus far fallen into. By way of poetry and prose, Colleen illustrates the triumphs and pitfalls of having a chronically open heart, including but not limited to: unrequited queer yearning for a high school best friend, grief surrounding the health of aging family members, and the quiet affection of a brief summer fling. Ultimately, Don’t let go argues that a love uninhibited is the greatest asset one can have in their humanistic toolbelt. With tender imagery and a vocabulary most delicate, Colleen describes the strength within us all to exist unabashedly and find joy, despite. Originally hailing from the New Haven area, Colleen Hugo (they/them) currently lives, works, and creates just outside of Hartford, Connecticut. Their literary inspirations include Ada Limón, Mary Oliver, Ocean Vuong and Charles Bukowski. A tattooed teacher’s pet and bashful extrovert, Colleen spends much of their free time drawing or else making, drinking, or thinking about coffee. They intend to make art for as long as they can.