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Handmade Love
Poetry. LGBT Studies. In her first collection, Julie R. Enszer offers poems that are as unabashedly erotic as they are unabashedly feminist. Whether responding to queer cultural icons, fantasizing about sex, or mourning illness and loss, these poems are sweet and sultry, fierce and tender.
64 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2010
About the author
Julie R. Enszer
35 books63 followersJulie R Enszer is a scholar and poet. Her scholarship is at the intersection of U.S. history and literature with particular attention to twentieth century U.S. feminist and lesbian histories, literatures, and cultures. By examining lesbian print culture with the tools of history and literary studies, she reconsider histories of the Women’s Liberation Movement and gay liberation. Her book manuscript, A Fine Bind: Lesbian-Feminist Publishing from 1969 through 2009, tells stories a dozen lesbian-feminist publishers to consider the meaning of the theoretical and political formations of lesbian-feminism, separatism, and cultural feminism.
Enszer is the author of two collections of poetry, Sisterhood (Sibling Rivalry Press, 2013) and Handmade Love (A Midsummer Night’s Press, 2010). She is editor of Milk & Honey: A Celebration of Jewish Lesbian Poetry (A Midsummer Night’s Press, 2011). Milk & Honey was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award in Lesbian Poetry. She is the editor of Sinister Wisdom, a multicultural lesbian literary and art journal, and a regular book reviewer for the Lambda Book Report and Calyx.
Enszer is the author of two collections of poetry, Sisterhood (Sibling Rivalry Press, 2013) and Handmade Love (A Midsummer Night’s Press, 2010). She is editor of Milk & Honey: A Celebration of Jewish Lesbian Poetry (A Midsummer Night’s Press, 2011). Milk & Honey was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award in Lesbian Poetry. She is the editor of Sinister Wisdom, a multicultural lesbian literary and art journal, and a regular book reviewer for the Lambda Book Report and Calyx.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 17, 2010
This is my book of poetry!
January 26, 2022
Wonderful collection of erotically quirky poetry that quite accurately reflects the state of committed love (queer or straight): "This is what I despite about poems--/the way they isolate/distill life to only the good parts/they never capture this--/harsh words in morning or constipation or warts." Or "young and single,/I thought married sex would be the best--available, reliable,/heck, even guaranteed--in reality, it's not any of these..."
March 23, 2022
This book of poems is a jewel of lesbian love. It is sexy, erotic and thought- provoking. Thank you, Julie Enszer.
May 6, 2010
Handmade Love is a collection of 26 poems centered around lesbian life. Though they deal with very specific moments in Ms. Enszer's life, the universality of the themes will resound with readers regardless of their sexual orientation. Some of the poems are very political, some romantic, some erotic, but they all resonated with me as a writer, as a woman, and as queer.
By far the poem I enjoyed the most was the first one in the book, entitled "When We Were Feminists." It reminded me of my own feminist journey, recalling how fresh and new everything seemed to me when I was in college and learning about women's history for the first time in my life. The poem speaks to the inevitable indoctrination of any belief system or ideal ~ when you first discover it, your passion flares bright, but time dims the flame until it becomes commonplace:
"When we were feminists, feminism was like cooking the first meal
After grocery shopping. You know:
When all of the vegetables have the patina of freshness,
When the fruit feels firm, even weighty, in your hand,
...
Now feminism is like the meal you make five days after shopping,
When you are exhausted from working all day,
...
When you cook simply because you have to eat."
Not every poem is so directly politic, but after this first poem, the collection is divided into two sections. The first contains romantic or erotic poems directed toward a female lover. "First Kiss" is tender, focusing on the hesitant love a young teen feels for her best friend. "Morning Pant" is another unrequited poem, this one aimed at a roommate who doesn't know how the poet feels for her even as she takes male lovers to her bed. I particularly liked the title poem, "Handmade Love," which begins with a mother's love and ends with a powerful line about the sexual love between women. The poem literally made me stop reading just so I could savor the play on words in the final lines:
"I believe that there are two kinds of love in this world:
inherited and handmade. Yes, we inherit love
but my people, my people make love by hand."
The poems in the second section are more generally queer in theme. Several are addressed to gay men, such as "Stroke," where the poet talks of her hope of a lifelong friendship with her best friend Michael, or "Couplets for Jeff," in which she comes to terms with a close friend's death. A few poems also mention post-operative transgendered men, something I found very refreshing simply because I haven't come across many poems dealing with the subject.
Overall, I enjoyed Handmade Love immensely. It's a wonderful collection of poems that are not only sexy but also thought-provoking. Ms. Enszer's strong poetic voice makes you blush as you read her poems, as if you've snuck a peek inside her diary and are reliving her most sensuous, intimate moments. Even if you don't think you like poetry, give this collection a try. With a deft hand, Ms. Enszer weaves sex and eroticism throughout her poems, leaving you flushed and breathless when you reach the end.
By far the poem I enjoyed the most was the first one in the book, entitled "When We Were Feminists." It reminded me of my own feminist journey, recalling how fresh and new everything seemed to me when I was in college and learning about women's history for the first time in my life. The poem speaks to the inevitable indoctrination of any belief system or ideal ~ when you first discover it, your passion flares bright, but time dims the flame until it becomes commonplace:
"When we were feminists, feminism was like cooking the first meal
After grocery shopping. You know:
When all of the vegetables have the patina of freshness,
When the fruit feels firm, even weighty, in your hand,
...
Now feminism is like the meal you make five days after shopping,
When you are exhausted from working all day,
...
When you cook simply because you have to eat."
Not every poem is so directly politic, but after this first poem, the collection is divided into two sections. The first contains romantic or erotic poems directed toward a female lover. "First Kiss" is tender, focusing on the hesitant love a young teen feels for her best friend. "Morning Pant" is another unrequited poem, this one aimed at a roommate who doesn't know how the poet feels for her even as she takes male lovers to her bed. I particularly liked the title poem, "Handmade Love," which begins with a mother's love and ends with a powerful line about the sexual love between women. The poem literally made me stop reading just so I could savor the play on words in the final lines:
"I believe that there are two kinds of love in this world:
inherited and handmade. Yes, we inherit love
but my people, my people make love by hand."
The poems in the second section are more generally queer in theme. Several are addressed to gay men, such as "Stroke," where the poet talks of her hope of a lifelong friendship with her best friend Michael, or "Couplets for Jeff," in which she comes to terms with a close friend's death. A few poems also mention post-operative transgendered men, something I found very refreshing simply because I haven't come across many poems dealing with the subject.
Overall, I enjoyed Handmade Love immensely. It's a wonderful collection of poems that are not only sexy but also thought-provoking. Ms. Enszer's strong poetic voice makes you blush as you read her poems, as if you've snuck a peek inside her diary and are reliving her most sensuous, intimate moments. Even if you don't think you like poetry, give this collection a try. With a deft hand, Ms. Enszer weaves sex and eroticism throughout her poems, leaving you flushed and breathless when you reach the end.
December 9, 2011
A little book of poetry from lesbian feminist writer Julie R. Enszer, beautiful inside and out. Small enough to stuff in a stocking, large enough in its themes to touch on the universal in every poem.
April 24, 2010
I think I first ran into Julie Enszer on Wompo. This is her first published book and it is HOT! She is political, academic, sexy, and poetic. What an amazing combo!
November 15, 2011
one of four poetry books i read on thanksgiving that i wasn't into. #kanyeshrug
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews