summary of this book
The heart of the book is a raw, blossoming journey of pain and healing that is divided into five poetic parts:
drooping
Lost love. Being alone.
“How can you be so nice to people?” he asked. “Because people haven’t been nice to me,” I said, and milk and honey dripped from my lips.
falling
Shaken roots. Problems for immigrants.
“What is the most important lesson a woman should learn? that she has always had everything she needs inside of her.
planting
Getting better on your own. Family hurts.
“I stand on the sacrifices of a million women before me, thinking about what I can do to make this mountain taller so that the women who come after me can see farther.”
going up
Bravery. Limits.
“You have to have a relationship with yourself before you can have one with anyone else.”
flowering
Joy is back.
“I want to say sorry to all the women I’ve called pretty before I’ve called them smart or brave.”
Why It Works: Bold & Bare: Short, punchy verses with eerie pictures.
Heartbreak, heritage, healing—every woman can relate to this.
Cultural Threads: Weaves together the sacrifices of immigrant parents with the idea of self-love in the modern world.
Great for:
✔️ People who are new to poetry (easy to read but deep).
✔️ Anyone who is trying to heal a broken heart.
✔️ Souls that want to be unapologetically feminine.
“if you were born with the weakness to fall you were born with the strength to rise.” Keep this quote in mind.