The Grief We're Given

“With their quiet intensity and graceful questioning, these verses will pull you inside yourself and out into mysterious communal joy.”—Christine Jewel, author of Fading Through“A luminous and consistently breathtaking exploration of grief, Bortz’s stunningly crafted writing will stay with you long after its final exhale.”—Blake Auden, author of Murmuration“The imagery is tangible; the metaphors are breathtaking. The depth of this collection makes it one worth reading again and again.”—Davis John Patton, singer/songwriter

William Bortz (he/him) is a husband, poet, and editor from Des Moines, IA. His poems appear in Okay Donkey, Oxidant Engine, Empty Mirror, honey & lime, Turnpike Magazine, Back Patio Press, the Lyrical Iowa Anthology, and others. He is the author of Shards and the chapbook The Sky Grew Back with Clouds. Growing up, William spent time in foster care, in homelessness, and in shelters. His aim in writing is to explore how joy lives in uncertainty and mourning.