Rachel Mennies explores themes that are both intimate and universal with piercing sensitivity. Her poetry is characterized by precise language and an ability to capture complex human emotions. Through her verses, Mennies reveals deep layers of experience, offering readers a thought-provoking and resonant perspective on life. Her work is valued for its authenticity and literary skill.
Records the textures of grief after a cousin's murder at the hands of the Syrian state reaches the poet through a long-distance phone call. The poems trace a narrative of arrest, imprisonment, and torture in Syria and interweave the difficulties a family experiences in the diaspora.
Epistolary love poems that chronicle a woman discovering bisexual desire, negotiating mental illness, and cultivating intimacy.
Exploring the relationship between a young woman and a multifaceted God, this collection of poems delves into themes of ritual, love, and female sexuality while confronting a painful history. The work reflects on survival, assimilation, and intermarriage, intricately tied to the speaker's Jewish identity. Through wit and precise language, it captures the complexities of coming of age as a Jewish woman in America, revealing the struggles and triumphs that define her journey toward self-discovery and liberation.