Heartbreakingly relevant and resonant. That Pratt includes the acceptance speech for the award given for this collection of poetry and a new afterword underscores the importance of context, reflection, and the broad impact of family separation. While clearly engaging with the realities of a state-defined family configuration and it’s homophobic/patriarchal roots, Pratt deftly connects how the family formation structure does not work or protect so many - the racialized, the poor, the undocumented to name a few. The book gave me a new way to think about family, mothers/children, and my own choices I have made as consciously childless and queer. If I was teaching I would offer this alongside a viewing of Carol and Dean Spade’s book against homonormativity. They would make for such good critical discussion. A heavy collection of essays and (mostly) poems, with healthy glimmers of resistance, resilience and healing. That motherhood and sex is laid so bare is a feat to witness. Pratt is a wonderful anti-racist white lesbian weaver of important words for us all.