The Colors of a Life - Rachel Toalson

"she can't see what / lies beyond but even so / she steps out

into the unknown / is far better than / stagnation"

So Rachel writes in this captivating collection of poetry exploring the vibrant colors that illuminate a life. Using her deft grasp of humor and her characteristic introspection, Rachel explores love, loss, childhood, joy, hope, mental illness, and so much more, braiding past with present and future. The poems in this collection span the wonder (and comfort) of gray sweat pants, the joys of crispy tater tots, the yellow and purple beginnings of eating disorders and body dysmorphia, the orange and red hues of connection, the blue eyes of harassment, the brown reminders of the infinite, and all the worlds in between.

The Colors of a Life reminds us that all the pretty and not-so-pretty colors we experience over a lifetime shape us into who we are. And they all (even the not-so-pretty ones) add up to a brilliant life.

Perfect for fans of Mary Oliver, Sharon Olds, Billy Collins, and Maggie Smith, The Colors of a Life is Rachel's tenth book of poetry.