Bloodstone Cowboy

Kara Jackson's Bloodstone Cowboy is a reclamation of her lineage, an affirmation of self, and a declaration of her right to contain multitudes. These poems from the 2019 National Youth Poet Laureate complicate the definition of womanhood, troubling what it means to live in a body and love it. A complex and resilient love permeates Jackson's writing, from anthems praising her full belly to poems grappling with "e;sort-of"e; love for her midwestern hometown. Drawing on the rich traditions of Lucille Clifton and Sharon Olds, this expansive collection proudly claims the inheritance of her family s southern roots, while carving out space for Jackson to exist fully without shame. As she writes, when the day calls I will answer to my name / claim it