my heart woke me crying last night / how can i help i begged / my heart said / write the book
-- The Author (Introduction )

Importance: This quote establishes a clear connection between the author and the collection's essential narrative and thematic intentions, both of which are centered around an experience of transformation and healing.

trying to convince myself / i am allowed / to take up space / is like writing with / my left hand / when i was born / to use my right
-- The Speaker (Part 1, Section 2)

Importance: This quote / image suggests just how deeply the speaker experiences a lack of self-worth, suggesting that that experience is fundamentally ingrained in her core identity.

you are a war / the border between two countries / the collateral damage / the paradox that joins the two / but also splits them apart
-- The Speaker (Part 1, Section 3)

Importance: In this poem, the speaker is using "you" to refer to herself, meaning that she sees herself as both the cause and consequence of conflict between her parents...