The Birth of Undoing

Emily Patterson's The Birth of Undoing chronicles the making of a mother. In tender yet unsparing poems, this collection captures one family's journey through infertility, pregnancy, and early parenthood. Both deeply personal and universal in its themes, The Birth of Undoing gives voice to varying facets of being a mother and woman-from loss and longing to wonder and joy. Throughout these poems, Patterson brings her full experience to the page, whether in unspoken conversations in the fertility clinic waiting room; seeking solace in nature from postpartum depression; or perceiving the smallest details anew through the eyes of her daughter. In lyrical and accessible language, Patterson offers a clear-eyed portrayal of the complexities of becoming and being a parent in our world.