Initial V Scar by Veronica Hosking

Veronica Hosking is a wife, mother, and poet born with cerebral palsy. She was the poetry editor for MaMaZina magazine from 2006-2011. Her poems have been featured online and in print anthologies: Silver Birch Press, Poetry Pea, Arizona Matsuri, Heterodox Haiku Journal and Pure Haiku. She received her first pushcart prize nomination in 2024. Her poetry blog is https://vhosking.wordpress.com

“In Initial V Scar, Veronica Hosking writes from her experience of the lived logistics of cerebral palsy. She unfolds a world for us that includes: a right side that won’t always cooperate, a childhood spent figuring out shoes and scissors, and a body that keeps asking for new workarounds. These spare lyric poems (including some with three-lines, as well as triolet-like trills) return to rich moments and down-to-earth details, such as Cheerios.  Along the way, the collection makes room for reflection, humor, and the warmth of a steady refuge of reading and writing.”

–Katie Dozier Creator of The Poetry Space_ podcast

Veronica Hosking is one of the most thoughtful and enlightened voices publishing in our poetry world of today. Drawing upon a rich and perceptive perspective, communicating meaningful experiences with an incisive eye and evocative feeling few are capable of shedding such valuable light, courageously locating humor and weighty pathos in relatable vicissitudes with the empathy and wit she demonstrates so laudably.  Her meticulous focus and disciplined process is readily apparent, the great care and pains devoted and impressively invested in composition are always strikingly perceptible and tremendously admirable to observe, and additional effort, meticulous labor the more arduous road of approaching language one letter at a time results in, the fruits yielded are highly refined and expertly sculpted, like prize ribbon winning apples polished to near blinding sheens! The haiku and senryu forms are uniquely equipped to cotton marvelously, and thrive in such an environment, and these modes Hosking established herself as an absolute force to be reckoned with applying. Those who have lived with differing capabilities, health dexterity and mobility challenges, or are familiar with experiences and impacts for loved ones, will find these contents enormously valuable and interesting too, shall no doubt see yourselves and so many people we care about relatably reflected in these moving and resilient verses. Veronica is equally deft in deploying free verse as she is mastering shorter forms, also demonstrating an extraordinary ear for rhyme, deft grasps of rhythm and musicality which are too often missing from contemporary English Language poetry of our era. The slices of life and striking moments preserved and commemorated here are at times heavy and woeful, but their conquest and triumph over by an indomitable protagonist ultimately impresses a highly inspirational and validating thrust to this collection which established it as an important addition to the highest echelons of disability literature, a round and resounding rejection to many ideas and contentions of the reactionary assumptions and assertions of ableist conservatism is also valiantly presented with compelling flair. Veronica similarly truly shines in the instances of prose and creative narrative incorporated in this collection, says so much in a few words, exemplifies an extraordinary gift for the potency of concision. Also a remarkable illustration of what a valuable tool the arts can be, both for self reflection and personal growth, and also as a means of advocacy, raising awareness articulating thought provoking experiences and perceptions. Perhaps a non-sequitur but feels like the point of view espoused in here is so valuable and underrepresented in the culture and conversations, I wish we could see more of our world’s Hoskings as the lead characters on prestige television dramas, or as the heroes in Disney or Pixar blockbusters! Definitely leaves the reader excited to read more by this brilliant and capable author, who excels equally in such a variety of modes, this is a beautiful collection of interdisciplinary achievements by a renaissance phenom worth paying very close attention to, supporting and championing however possible!! An inspired reversal of certain elements of backward society and culture’s expectations or assumptions, prejudices and prognoses with the title too, where Veronica transforms her scarred tissue into a profound Victory the likes of which few can hope for, deserving of tremendous praise and admiration!

–Jerome Berglund Editor/Publisher Heterodox Haiku Journal