Before It's Light

Lyn Lifshin's selected poems in this collection delve into deeply personal themes, reflecting on her unlovely girlhood, tumultuous marriage, and intense love affairs. The autobiographical verses capture the raw emotions of loss, particularly the pain of losing her mother, and the struggle for self-sufficiency after difficult relationships. Lifshin's direct and spare style reveals submerged passions within everyday life, offering poignant insights into her experiences and the complexities of love and survival.