PRAISE:
In Dumpster Fire Heart, Allie Coker probes the raw emotions of fresh heartbreak with insight and humor. “The absence of you creates more churn than the presence of you ever did,” she writes in “The Proof of Love,” evoking the afterimages that appear in the wake of a breakup. Grief dominates, but not in a saccharine way. Her true-to-life imagery illuminates the poignancy of ordinary moments when colored by loss. Bittersweet but not bitter, this witty collection wraps a tight hold on your attention and doesn’t let go.
-Culley Holderfield, author of Hemlock Hollow
Allie Coker‘s latest collection, “Dumpster Fire Heart,” doesn’t merely explore the aftermath of a broken relationship. It serves it up in chunks of tightly written poems that take us on a journey of emotions – regret, anger, grief, loss, emptiness, fear, self-doubt – each so raw you could tear it with your teeth and watch it bleed. This is poetry that is relatable and deeply human, written by a poet unafraid of vulnerability. Anyone experiencing a breakup, especially in the incendiary climate of the world in which we live, will find a kindred spirit here – and an effectual torch for the heart’s darkest refuse.
–Libby Swope Wiersema, author of The Season of Terminal Cold
“Coker’s sharp, searing poetry collection lays out the jagged-edged end of a relationship. She masterfully balances anger and ache, raw candor and clever wordplay, vivid observations and smack-you-in-the-gut final lines. Coker’s poetry digs into your heart and stays there.”
–Rebecca Bendheim, author of Coming Out Party
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