"dear god, I'll never understand
how some people meet
a drowning person & offer
INSPIRATIONAL advice
instead of offering a hand or rope"

I'm celebrating love today with this heartwarming collection. Promise of Gold/Promises de Oro by José Olivarez publishes today and I need you all to run and gift yourself his words. This collection has me pausing, breathing a little clearer, drawing emojis in the pages, texting screenshots, thinking about ways to dismantle systems, clinging to memories and remembering the ancestors. I am also being reminded that it's OK to not be OK and self-care is also letting others love me when I need to heal. 

This one is perfect for today because love is one of the prominent themes and explored in so many poems: in the ways we care for each other and ourselves, the way we use our voices to advocate, the ways that men love through actions and less words, the ways that love shapes communities and so many other aspects. Olivarez's collection also captures themes of immigration, racism, love, family, masculinity, friendship, the pandemic, mental health and grief. The format  takes you on an exploration, transforms you and gives you a nice big abrazo at the end. Olivarez wore his heart on his sleeve and the emotions just bleed through. For me, the bilingual format was golden. I read through it first in English and then flipped it over and read in Spanish. Palabras hit different in español. I love you doesn't melt my soul the way te amo does. Olivarez is a word magician and his prose will cast a spell on you. Thank you @henryholtbooks for the gifted copy.