"בין הערביים: between the blendings" by Ezra Rose (twitter/website). blendings is from "A queer, trans (non-binary) Ashkenazi Jewish artist/creator living on a small farm in Western Massachusetts. This is their first collection of self-published poetry. A chapbook of 10(ish) poems, illustrated with public domain images & collages. Content includes queer/trans experiences of Judaism & living with trauma." The ten poems are wonderful; just as every collection from any Jewish trans writer this jam has been. The moment you open this you can tell that the visuals and the design work that's gone into this is just superb. The titles of every poem are in Hebrew, the font choices are spectacular, and the collages and use of public domain designs is beautifully tasteful. The writing is brilliant, but even just visually this is a gorgeous chapbook. It's not a collection surrounded by traditional Judaism, as it happily explores "Jewish magic and mysticism" [such as their online community QUEERKEIT COVEN does] as well. It's a unique and very well-done read that you can return to over and over again to reconsider and re-observe. The poems sound amazing if you read them aloud because the words just flow into each other with careful intention. They are almost like individual carefully crafted meditations or protections. They do all of that while finding and expressing the relationship between transness and faith. They cover very classic themes and historical aspects of accepted magical practices within sects of Judaism.  Lots of topics get fleetingly brushed upon, but all of them in the right ways. This is the sort of work that is ready for print and wow, I sure hope Ezra prints this because I know it would just look and feel amazing in physical form. I wish them and their found family good luck on their farm, and hope to see more poetry from them in the future.

"this longing to be something “less” than human: pure mineral might, an enviable singularity of purpose. deep riverbed clay holding aeons of quiet earth-memory, bedrock bones moved only in service to we who ask the difficult questions.

there is no asking or answering for stones. they know that “truth” is the state of being filled with the breath of the One, and “dead” is just another word for waiting."

[CW // symptoms related to PTSD, anxiety & depression. violent imagery & allusions to trauma.]

this was super neat to read, i'm especially fond of "ivrim." the nervous metaphor was really striking to me.

such beautiful and honest poems! Love it!