This is a collection of poems that describe the life experience of a young black girl, newly immigrated to America, with a strained relationship with her mother. 10/10

Acclaimed Somali-British writer and poet, Warsan Shire, was born in Nairobi and raised in London. In her much anticipated first full-length poetry collection, she covers difficult aspects of girlhood, growing into a woman’s body and womanhood, with empathy and compassion. This collection, says Shire, is for all those who had to raise themselves, who had to raise their younger siblings, and who also found an inner world as a way to escape their circumstances Warsan is a voice for the voiceless. Her parents fled Somali just before the war broke out and the family moved to England as refugees, so she has firsthand knowledge of family and friends escaping Africa to become immigrants in far away countries. She writes beautifully about loss and displacement. The “refugee” poems in her collection are among the most heartbreaking.

Warsan Shire's collection Bless the Daughter Raised by a Voice in Her Head really knocks the wind out of you. It's difficult, honest, and beautiful in equal parts. Shire's voice shines with enviable and fierce self-assuredness while sharing deeply emotional experiences. There is something in the way she crafts these pieces that feels so intimate, you'd swear she had leaned in to tell a secret just for you. It's a pleasure to feel that way, but her strong voice rightfully commands to be heard.

"Mama, I made it/ out of your home/ alive, raised by/ the voices/ in my head." I was beyond thrilled when I was able to read an advanced e-copy of Shire's new collection (many thanks to netgalley and publishers!) I had very high hopes for this book and while it didn't exactly meet my expectations entirely, I was still blown away by the poems that did draw me in with the wonderful magic of well woven prose, a strong message, and the demand for thoughts and feelings to form, be noticed, and paid attention to. It is not often that an author of any genre can approach such delicate topics in a way that works so splendidly that I easily forgot about the bits I didn't quite connect with, leaving me swooning over this collection as a whole. Poetry is something we read and write because we are part of the human race, and Bless the Daughter Raised by a Voice in Her Head is a wonderful example of the passion the writer infuses into the words, and the passion of the reader as we soak them up and churn them over in our minds. If you're looking for a beautiful collection with a strong message that will pull at your heart strings and pick at your brain until you lose yourself in thought and weave yourself between the prose this collection is one you're going to want to pick up asap!

This is an amazing collection, with beautiful imagery of womanhood and what it means to be female. But included are some high voltage descriptions inspired by rape and immigration experience that have the power to remain.

Thank you, Random House, for the advanced electronic copy of this book! It’s the first full-length poetry collection from Warsan Shire, the award-winning Somali British poet who worked with Beyonce on Lemonade and Black is King. So yes, it’s as good as you’re expecting. The poems draw from her own experiences, loved ones’ experiences, headlines, etc. to shape a journey through womanhood, motherhood, daughterhood, being a refugee and immigrant, abuse, trauma, and defiant hope. I feel like I need to reread this to get the full effect, but I was especially impressed with how Shire merges pop culture and poetry to make the collection feel not only modern but current and timely. She has something to say here, and you’re certainly going to hear it. And, of course, there are lines and couplets and stanzas that come out of nowhere punch you in the gut. It’s a quick read, but worth it if you are a fan of poetry (and maybe even if you’re not).

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader's Copy! Available March 1st 2022. Poetry gathers our dead. Through testaments, obituaries and allegories, Warsan Shire invites to sit with our ghosts. Whether honoring the girlhood we lost or in honor of a lost daughter, each poem in this collection is a stirring call to action. To love, to protect and to recognize our daughters as more precious than gold. To bless them, again and again.

5 stars I came into this collection loving Warsan Shire, and I am leaving it feeling that sentiment even more powerfully. As usual, Shire's works reveal a vulnerable, feminine, and at times challenging set of experiences and circumstances. I'll attempt to honor her work by cutting my words short. Go read - or better yet, listen to if you can - hers instead. I'll be recommending this treasure for a long time to come.