This is Why I Never Left

This Is Why I Never Left is a queer feminist poetry collection about breaking free from cycles of abuse and violence. With raw honesty and deep compassion, these poems show that abuse isn't just something that happens in private-it's part of a larger cultural story, often passed down through families and masked as love. Patterns that repeat from generation to generation. The collection looks closely at the messages we're given about relationships-how we're taught to stay quiet, to accept pain as normal, and to make ourselves small to keep the peace. It questions why we learn to call harm "love," and what it costs us to stay in spaces that don't feel safe. But these poems aren't just about surviving-they're about imagining something better. They ask: what would it look like to build relationships where we're safe, where we're whole, and where we don't have to hide any part of who we are? This Is Why I Never Left is a powerful reminder that healing is possible, and that we all deserve love rooted in truth and respect. It's both a witness to pain and a vision of what comes after-a future where we are free to live, speak, and love without fear.