rootlines

by Kelsey Day

Through the tangled branches of life, Kelsey Day’s second collection of poetry, rootlines, emerges as a testament to embracing the unknown. The collection of ecopoetry explores themes of community, grief, femininity, and healing in an effort to examine existence and identity within the natural world. Day’s lyrical and impassioned voice invites readers into the solace of these conversations. Composed of captivating imagery, striking lines, and engaging form, rootlines advocates for those who are too often left to the mercy of a river’s current.

Genres: Poetry

84 pages, Paperback

Published April 21, 2021

Reviews

[Brianna Cunliffe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection stuns with its depth and versatility. Day’s poems are intimate and well-crafted capsules of a deeply felt life. They twine gorgeous language with the key political and social themes of a young queer life in a world of vanishing natural beauty. These poems make you want to live a fiercer, braver life, and to fall in love. An absolute must-read.

[Bryce Menichella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best poetry book I’ve ever read! Kelsey Day is such an influential writer and her work really speaks to her personality. I would recommend this work to anyone particularly those interested in nature and preserving this great earth. Her poetry speaks volumes about Kelsey Day’s ability as a writer and I’m very excited for her next piece.

[_sassy_39 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rootlines is a poetry collection penned by the author Kelsey Day. It is a poetry collection by a queer, neurodivergent woman living in the mountains of Appalachia.

Few of my favorite poems from the collection are: "bread & wine & the body", morning, afterlife, etc. Pretty illustrations with few poems caught my attention. Below lines from the titular poem "rootlines" are amazing:

beneath the urgent floods
the honeyed stones and braids of chrysalis
beneath the nest of wild grass and shed talons,
the churning beasts are not sleeping.
I spot them on a walk with my family.
my body rushes to fill itself.
roots rumble under the pavement, snarling bike chains
catch between my fingers—see the bent paperbacks, the
flecked lenses, the plunging shortcuts through the trees

Written in 84 pages, this poetry collection could be read in a single sitting. I liked the cover photo of the book and the title is suitable. The poems in this collection are based in place. Through this book, authors has made the readers aware that Appalachia as we know it today has been built on a stolen land. I like to recommend this poetry book to avid poetry lovers.

[Megan Busbice · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful collection. With simultaneously brilliant and accessible poetry, Kelsey Day meets readers where they are and welcomes them into her world. Tackling beauty and destruction with equal measure, Day creates a spectrum of emotional experiences, touching on both the tenderness of Appalachia as well as the environmental destruction facing it. Such a great book!!

[Abby · Rating 5 out of 5]

such a good read and for a good cause!

[Emily]

"orion's belt still doesn't fit but
I shimmer in the trying"