Of Elderberry, Fire, & Fables

“Valentine’s lyrical form wraps her poems into folklore—it’s hard not to imagine the eponymous Toad, the Ice Queen, the Banshee. She braids the memories of childhood with a sweetness and a bitterness that do not contradict each other, instead forming something whole and healing. Valentine muses upon childhood—the lamps of shared bedrooms, the tangible TV static—but does not live there, does not set up shop. Instead, Of Elderberry, Fire, & Fables feels like a wise lesson from an older sister, someone who has grown and is willing to share the distant traumas of her adventures, whilst ageing with grace. When Valentine writes, “age leaves its mark”, you do not believe this is a disparaging comment—instead, it is the inauguration of a Monroe beauty spot above a smiling lip.

 Love comes through like morning light in Valentine’s work, shining and giving way to reflections of life that make you feel hopeful for your own future. It’s a diverse, all-encompassing love, that spans from siblings, to lovers, to the self, but refuses to lend itself to those who do not deserve it. Valentine’s love for herself prevents destructive love for others, and it is enviable. This is as much a collection of poems as it is a set of life lessons that takes you gently by the hand.”

—Ozzy Welch, author of Toothache (Kith Books '24) and D.I.Y. BUTCH (Backroom Poetry, '23)

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“Bridgette Valentine meets readers in all of their muck and glory immediately upon diving into Of Elderberry, Fire, & Fables. This book of poems starts in the context of healing and goes on to explore the complexities, joy, and grief of aging, power dynamics, love, and more. Valentine’s imagery is piercing. The creaking and bending of bones growing from girlhood to womanhood pulsate through the pages. Readers will feel as if they are taking a bite of fresh fruit, only to mourn the rot that sticks in back molars. Valentine contemplates the effects of time through emotive remarks on memory, what humans carry, and marks we leave behind. Her magical language tells of the lives one body can remember, hold, and become. When finished, readers will feel their hearts and remember they are still beating.”

—Kelli Lage, author of Early Cuts