Join Deidre Braley for an evening of poetry on Tuesday, April 23 at 6:00 p.m. at the Kennebunk Free Library as she shares readings and stories from her debut poetry collection, The Shape I Take, along with a selection of her other favorite original poems that take an unflinching look at life, love, and learning to make peace with being human.

There are few moments in a person's life that are more emotionally dynamic, physically dramatic, or spiritually charged than those days surrounding the birth of a baby. In The Shape I Take, Braley documents those moments in real-time. This collection begins in the dwindling days before the birth of her child, is swept up into the height of labor and delivery, and finishes with the acute poignancy that is unique to those first postpartum weeks. From predictions for ominous weather and late-night loving to the tension between new life and certain death, the poems in The Shape I Take are not your typical reflections on motherhood. Rather, they seek to capture the realities of the anticipation, desperation, and trepidation that come along with bringing a baby into the world: milk-drenched sheets and all.

Questions and conversation will be welcomed, and books will be available for signing and purchase at the event.

Deidre Braley is a freelance writer and editor. A graduate of Presque Isle High School, she now lives in southern Maine with her husband and three children. Her debut poetry collection, The Shape I Take, was released in December 2023 by Bottlecap Press. She is the author and host behind The Second Cup, a weekly column and podcast that focuses on making peace with being human. Her award-winning poetry has been featured in The Way Back To Ourselves literary journal and Maine Women Magazine, and her essays have appeared in The Village Magazine, Aletheia Today, The Joyful Life, and The Truly Co., where she serves as the Editorial Content Director. Deidre is a strong believer in the power of poetry, picking roadside flowers, and skipping small talk. Connect with her on her website, thesecondcup.org or on Instagram @deidressecondcup.

This program is free and wheelchair accessible. The Kennebunk Free Library is located at 112 Main Street in Kennebunk, Maine. For more information please call 207-985-2173 or email us at kfl@kennebunklibrary.org.