I'M NOT A WORM, I'M JUST A GIRL, by Bleah Patterson

Poetry, chapbook, 40 pages, from Bottlecap Features. By embodying a worm, the speaker of these poems reflects on girlhood, queer coming of age, and southern matriarchal lineage while continuing to ask, “would you still love me if?” These poems sprawl both in language and in form as they traverse various topics and eras of the speaker’s life. However, the through-line remains the same: what is a girl worth in our society? How can she be loved even when she doesn’t seem to meet expectations? By weaving references to pop culture, memes, and politics, this chapbook attempts to show girlhood in all of its shades, varieties, and of course it’s value. Bleah Patterson is a queer, southern poet born and raised in Texas. She has been a Pushcart and Best of Net nominee. Much of her work explores the contention between identity and home and has been featured or is forthcoming in various journals including Electric Literature, Pinch, Write or Die, The Laurel Review, Phoebe Literature, The Rumpus, and Taco Bell Quarterly.