Say Hello to Psalms of Unknowing!
...a feminist collection of poetry, about motherhood and spirituality and fighting the patriarchy and finding the divine.
This is The Slow Take, Heather Lanier’s very occasional newsletter. You signed up for this newsletter, either because you liked my writing somewhere or because you’re my mom. Thank you!
Friends, it’s a big day! My full-length poetry collection, Psalms of Unknowing, releases into the world today!
Written at the intersections of motherhood, feminism, and spirituality, Psalms of Unknowing seeks to reconcile the world’s heartbreak with our longing for its divinity. Sometimes sassy, sometimes serious, the poems carve the way for a different kind of faith—one that deepens not by knowing the answers but by asking the questions.
The collection took over ten years to write, and I’m beyond excited to share it today. In celebration, here are a few treats related to the book:
First, click here for the opening poem, “Pumping Milk.” If you’ve ever had to pump milk in a strange place, this poem’s for you.
Or, if you like playful poetry that snubs its nose a little at religion (&/or you want to know where the book’s title comes from) click here for “Free Bible in Your Own Language.”
For how I developed a writing practice while raising small humans, check out my article, “On Solving the Puzzle of Motherhood & Writing,” from Zibby Magazine. Here’s a snippet:
My husband and I called it “buying a vowel.” That was the term we used when, as a nursing mom, I needed space from the tiny, beautiful, tyrannical, tongue-tied new human who lived on my body. The reference is from “Wheel of Fortune,” when the contestants are so baffled by a puzzle that they hand over hundreds in the hopes that Vanna will flip over a few E’s. Only I wasn’t paying in dollars. I was paying in breast milk. And the puzzle I was trying to solve wasn’t a pithy phrase, but one countless women have tried to crack: How to be both a mother and a writer.
Lastly, Mom Egg Review recently gave Psalms of Unknowing a lovely descriptive review. “A careful reader of any, or no, faith background will find a rich text to explore here.” Thanks, Mom Egg!
And huge thanks to those of you who preordered! If you haven’t ordered yet, now’s a great time. (It’s available wherever—Bookshop, Amazon, Target, etc. For a signed copy, order from the lovely Words Matter Bookstore).
And whenever you get your copy, I’d love to see it out in the wild! Take a photo on your favorite social media platform and tag me!
May your week before filled with beautiful seeking… and finding.
Congrats, Heather! Look forward to reading ⚡️✨
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