Cherry Cola in Bloomington, MN

Poetry. A young woman and young man in a relationship that is both intoxicating and toxic, exhilarating but ultimately at a cost to each. Experimental in form, this startling debut collection breaks with convention, bringing seemingly polarized forces into combat: religion versus primal desire, love versus safety. Edgy and compelling, Mara Nkere tells it all through the parallel narratives of the Girl and Boy, drawing on a kaleidoscope of influences—hip hop, social media, pop, spoken word, traditional poetry and even job applications.