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Ruin My Lipstick: A Poetic Exploration of Love, Loss, and Empowerment

Benjamin Stone

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Ruin My Lipstick is a collection of poems by award-winning poet and essayist Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha. The book explores the complexities of love, loss, and empowerment, through the lens of a queer, disabled, and femme voice. Piepzna-Samarasinha's poems are raw, honest, and full of power, offering a unique and refreshing perspective on the human experience.

The book is divided into three sections: "Love," "Loss," and "Empowerment." Each section explores a different aspect of the human experience, from the joys and heartbreak of love to the pain and resilience of loss. Piepzna-Samarasinha's poems are unflinching in their honesty, but they are also full of hope and healing.

RUIN MY LIPSTICK: A Poetry Collection

by R.B. O'Brien

4.9 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	956 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Print length	:	131 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

In the "Love" section, Piepzna-Samarasinha explores the many facets of love, from the first blush of new romance to the depths of long-term commitment. Her poems celebrate the joys of love, but they also acknowledge the pain that can come with it. In the poem "Love Song," she writes:

I love you more than words can say,
More than the sun shines or the rain falls.
But sometimes I love you so much
That I want to tear your heart out
And eat it.

The "Loss" section of the book is a journey through the pain and grief of losing a loved one. Piepzna-Samarasinha's poems are raw and honest, but they offer a glimmer of hope amidst the darkness. In the poem "Elegy," she writes:

I miss you more than words can say,
More than the sun shines or the rain falls.
But I know that you are with me,
In my heart and in my soul.

The "Empowerment" section of the book is a celebration of the strength and resilience of the human spirit. Piepzna-Samarasinha's poems explore the challenges that we face, as well as the power that we have to overcome them. In the poem "Warrior," she writes:

I am a warrior,
I am strong and brave.
I will not let anything defeat me.
I will fight for what I believe in,
And I will never give up.

Ruin My Lipstick is a powerful and moving collection of poems that will stay with you long after you finish reading it. Piepzna-Samarasinha's voice is unique and refreshing, and her poems offer a unique perspective on the human experience. This is a book that will make you laugh, cry, and think, and it is a book that you will not soon forget.

Praise for Ruin My Lipstick:

“Piepzna-Samarasinha is a fearless poet who writes with honesty, vulnerability, and power. Ruin My Lipstick is a must-read for anyone who has ever loved, lost, or felt empowered.” — Tracy K. Smith, Pulitzer Prize-winning poet
“Piepzna-Samarasinha's poems are raw, honest, and full of heart. Ruin My Lipstick is a powerful and moving collection that will stay with you long after you finish reading it.” — Roxane Gay, author of Bad Feminist
“Piepzna-Samarasinha is a brilliant poet who writes with passion, intelligence, and wit. Ruin My Lipstick is a stunning collection that will challenge your assumptions and open your heart.” — Kate Bornstein, author of Gender Outlaw

About the Author:

Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha is a queer, disabled, and femme writer, performer, and organizer. She is the author of several books, including Love Cake, Bodymap, and Dirty River: A Queer Femme of Color Dreaming & Healing Justice. Piepzna-Samarasinha is a recipient of the Lambda Literary Award, the Audre Lorde Award, and the Asian American Literary Award. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.

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