I'll Cry If I Want To

“I’ll Cry If I Want To is a must read for all women. A battle cry, a mirror, a pathway to liberation—Raquel’s words show both the beauty and hardship that come with being a woman. Though the heaviness and truth of life is present in nearly every poem, at its core, the collection is a celebration.” — Lauren Bowman, author of The Evolution of a Girl and What I Learned From the Trees “An empowering poetry collection on femininity, love, aging and family. I’ll Cry if I Want To is a reminder to feel all the feelings, make all the mistakes, and embrace the messiness of life.” — shelby leigh, author of from sand to stars “I’ll Cry If I Want To places girlhood on a pedestal, identifying every beautiful facet, every swallowed grief, in stunning clarity. These poems engulf us in a collage of images, from lipstick tubes to ibuprofen, perfectly illustrating what it means to be woman while constant forces push against you. I think this collection has something for everyone, from budding, teenage, lovestruck girl, to aging mother careening through adulthood. When Franco reflects on the difficulties and small joys of existence, you can’t help but nod along. Say, yes, yes, I’ve been there, too. I know exactly what you mean.” — Caitlin Conlin, author of The Surrender Theory

Raquel Franco is a multi-racial poet of Venezuelan descent living in Ohio. She is the author of I’ll Cry If I Want To and When the Bee Stings and her work has been featured in Thought Catalog and Rattle Magazine. When she is not reading, writing or keeping up with two kids she is listening to Taylor Swift.