Divided into three parts, This Woman is Still Girl is a coming of age story told through poetry. Part One (Is Girl) unravels navigating puberty and sexuality, being slut shamed, the exclusion of being a child of mixed race and the strained relationship between mother and daughter. Part Two (Is In-between) shares the shattering, the break that starts the build, a raw picture of mental illness, heartbreak and the loss of a mother. Part Three (Is Woman) is about understanding who you were and who you are now with strength, resilience, healing, bravery and imperfection. Girl is roots, becoming someone. Woman is bloom, coming unleashed. This book is for the girls that lie(d) in bed at night feeling like they are not enough to fill the space that's been given to them, feeling forsaken and aching to be loved. It's to tell women they are not alone.
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[Growing up feels like / your cocoon period / insecurity left spinning / hands grasping for stability COCOON PERIOD]***
(Independently Published, 29 November 2019, 151 pages, ebook, copy from the poet and voluntarily reviewed)
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I'm familiar with the poet work from [Dis]Connected Volume 2 so I was looking forward to reading a full collection. I was not disappointed. I enjoyed every poem here. Franco explores themes and ideas that most women can relate to; growing up, the bond between mothers and daughters, mental illness and sexuality. I enjoyed every poem on offer here. The poems exploring depression particularly resonated with my own thoughts and experiences. I was very impressed by this collection.
