Even though I only loved three poems in this collection, I am giving it four stars because I believe these three poems tackle topics in feminism and women's lives that don't normally get voiced.

In "Joy Road and Livernois," the speaker talks about the girls she grew up with and where they all ended up (spoiler: they met various terrible fates). This poem is haunting in that the speaker feels a certain amount of guilt for escaping Detroit while these women did not and were trapped by their impoverished circumstances with little opportunity. This is especially strong in the final stanza.

In "Something to look forward to," the speaker talks about when she got her period. She thought it was the most awful thing ever and couldn't wait for menopause when she wouldn't have to deal with the blood. I love this poem because this is not the type of topic poetry normally addresses, and it was a wonderful reprieve and essential look into the reality of women's lives

Finally, "Loving the crone" addresses ageism that the speaker sees as rampant in society. Why are older women always cast as witches, hags, and other villain types? Why can't their contributions to society be celebrated? Just because they no longer have the youthful beauty that so many seem to cherish does not mean they do not still feel that youthful vigor and beauty still within themselves. I love this concept and was so happy to see Piercy write about it in this poem. ( )