A Letter to Readers
I'm so glad you're here.
Whether you arrived because of a poem, a recommendation, or simple curiosity, I hope you'll find something here that invites you to pause for a moment.
Feminism is my lens. Humanity is my subject.
I write through a feminist lens because it makes me feel connected to myself. But I'm ultimately interested in something larger than any one perspective. I'm interested in the invisible work of being human—the ways we love, care, belong, endure, become, and find our voice.
My hope is that you'll leave seeing something a little differently than when you arrived. Maybe you'll recognize a piece of yourself in a poem. Maybe you'll reconsider a story you've always accepted. Maybe you'll simply notice something tomorrow that you would have walked past yesterday.
Whatever brings you here, you're welcome.
Let's look again.
A System that Eats Its Daughters
By Chelsie Zuccollo
We teach her to stay silent.
She sees how we slice into those that speak up.
Do you prefer her sweet, bitter, or savory?
How will we dice up her bravery?
Salty, spicy, or sour–
We’ll garnish her with a flower.
She learns what keeps them pleased–
She’s skinned, cubed, and tenderized.
Is she crunchy, chewy, or brittle?
We’ve been braising her since she was little.
Should we serve her cold, hot, or steaming?
Would you prefer if she was screaming?
A deconstructed dish–caramelized and arranged.
Seared, sauteed, and underdone.
Season her with butter, pepper, or salt.
We will tell her it’s all her fault.
Serve her on slate, wood, or stone.
Engulf her. Shred her from the bone.
Silence–rewarded. Voice–ignored.
She learns to write the recipe.
Better Verbs
By Chelsie Zuccollo
I used to beg,
Now I Bite.
Once I would
please. shrink. doubt.
Now I
Pronounce. Stand. Decide.
Time taught my edges
how to Carve stone.
I used to whisper,
Now I Witness.
Instead of yield,
I choose to Yell.
Something in me
finally Broke the soil.
Where once I would
ask. soften. wait.
Now I
Answer. Speak. Walk.
I used to beg,
Now I Bite.
Age gives you
something sharper
than patience.
Better verbs.
Book Trailer Coming Soon!
Updates
Two individual poems will be published this year in different literary journals/magazines. Details to come.
I have a full-length manuscript that I am starting to submit called Say It Anyway: Being Feminist, Fearless, and Heard.
I am starting to write with a second collection in mind!