A Gathering of the Tribes

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Thunder and Sunshine in One Body Reviewed

Luciann Berrios' debut collection bursts out from "under the shadow of a memory," offering not simply poems but chronicles of movement, forward and backward in time. In a refreshingly accessible language at once striking and tender, Berrios conjures vibrantly crafted images refracted in shards of memory, whether treasured or filled with ache. These artifacts of her life stretch through a "swirling heritage" and "layered identity," encompassing self-discovery, transformation, nostalgia, and forgiveness. This is an important moment for Berrios- both of honoring where she has been and starting anew, owning her thunderstorms and sunshine and telling her story with "heart open, arms wide and seeking."