Today is the book birthday of the highly-anticipated anthology Under Her Skin: A Women in Horror Poetry Collection, Volume 1. This gorgeous book includes two of my poems: “My Body, My Book” and “Our Lady’s Bird.”
“Not for the faint of heart…Each word and phrase has been structured in such a way that the reader will experience an intense depth of emotion and feelings.” —EGuide Magazine
“…varied themes, approaches, and poetic structures create a diverse series of horror inspections. Under Her Skin is unparalleled in scope, creativity, and literary strength.” —Midwest Book Review
A showcase of poetry from some of the darkest and most lyrical voices of women in horror.
Under Her Skin features the best in never-before-published dark verse and lyrical prose from the voices of Women in Horror. Centered on the innate relationship between body horror and the female experience, this collection features work from Bram-Stoker Award® winning and nominated authors, as well as dozens of poems from women (cis and trans) and non-binary femmes.
Edited by Lindy Ryan and Toni Miller, Under Her Skin celebrates women in horror from cover to cover. In addition to poems contributed by seventy poets, the collection also features a foreword penned by Science Fiction Poetry Association (SFPA) Grand Master and recipient of the Horror Writers Association Lifetime Achievement Award, Linda D. Addison; interior illustrations by Science Fiction & Fantasy Poetry Association Grand Master and recipient of the Horror Writers Association Lifetime Achievement Award Marge Simon; and cover art by noted horror artist Lynne Hansen.
OUR LADY’S BIRD by Carina Bissett
A good girl wears white
gloves, pristine, unblemished
hands folded, head bowed,
lips pressed tight, pink
heat hidden, sealed, trapped
in bleached cotton that covers,
smothers knuckles bruised,
nails chewed, cuticles torn,
blood spotting, weeping,
a testament to wickedness within.
You can read the rest of this piece as well as featured poems by Lee Murray and Amy Lowenstern in the article “UNDER HER SKIN: COVER AND POETRY REVEAL” at SciFiNow or in your own copy of this amazing collection of dark poetry.
Carina Bissett 