As My Father Lay Dying by Jessica Weyer-Bentley

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As My Father Lay Dying is a love letter in poems of grief for a father whose life was taken so tragically young. The work gives an in depth look of a visceral reckoning of a daughter with profound loss. The chapbook reveals the raw emotion of an individual as they try to navigate the world through grief’s lens. The poetry within these pages is a snapshot of what 12,000 families a year endure when they lose a loved one to impaired driving crashes. #poetry, #loss, #grief, #humanity, #impaired driving, #distracted driving.

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When I first had an opportunity to read these poems, it was the week after my biological father’s death, the day after his graveside service. Though I am nearly sixty years old and Jessica Weyer Bentley was only a child when she lost her father, I find in her chapbook, As My Father Lay Dying, a connection, a path forward through shared grief, a way of honoring the lost by one’s own persistence in living, and a vital reminder of the life-saving power of poetic expression.

–John Burroughs, U.S. Beat Poet Laureate (2022-2023)

Jessica Weyer Bentley’s As My Father Lay Dying is a searing, luminous journey through grief, memory, and resilience—poems forged from tragedy that transform loss into connection, healing, and enduring love..

Drawing on the sudden, life-altering loss of her father to a drunk driving crash, Bentley weaves intimate moments, vivid imagery, and raw emotional truth into verse that both mourns and celebrates. Her words become a bridge—spanning decades, carrying the weight of absence, and finding light in unexpected places. This collection is not only a tribute to a father lost too soon, but also an offering of solidarity to anyone navigating the long shadow of grief.

Her work has also graced Fevers of the Mind, where I’ve had the privilege to host pieces like “Blue Devil Compulsion,” “Mae,” “Archer Park,” “King Roosevelt the Healer,” “Bridegroom Estuary,” and “Transience of the Empath.” Your voice there has added immense depth and beauty—thank you, Jessica.

–David L. O’Nan

Jessica Weyer Bentley’s poetry is a masterclass in authenticity—skillfully crafted, emotionally stirring, and genuinely heartfelt. After reading her complete body of work, it becomes unmistakably clear that her voice is not only unique but deeply resonant. Jessica’s poetic prose is fresh and evocative, painting vivid images that linger long after the final page. Her words compose symphonies of emotion, stirring the soul much like inspired music does, each line flowing from life’s raw experiences with honesty and grace. She writes as if she were a conduit for truth and inspiration—offering wit, warmth, and a nourishing energy that readers everywhere need to experience. Every book she pens is a triumph, a brilliant masterpiece that connects deeply with the human spirit.

–Brian R. Hall, Author of Mountain Night Owl Tales, Legendary Kingdoms of Attera, A Tale of Two Miyagis

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