bruised mother

by Ashley Kirkland

Ashley Kirkland

Ashley Kirkland writes in Ohio where she lives with her husband and sons. Her poetry and fiction can be found in 805 Lit + Art, Cordella Press, 3 Elements Literary Review, Boats Against the Current, The Citron Review, Naugatuck River Review, and Action, Spectacle, among others. When she's not writing or working, you can find Ashley trailing behind her dog as she pulls her around town, coaching her son's basketball team, or frequenting some of the local breweries and dining establishments with her husband in their small, river-side town.

You can reach Ashley at lashleyshank@gmail.com and find her on Instagram @lashleyshankirkland.

praise for bruised mother

Kirkland offers an intimate window into the warm yet hard duties and wonders of contemporary motherhood. Like a skilled canvas painter, Kirkland dazzles in lean, sharp lines, creating a soft yet ardent account of what it’s like caring for a tender child, completely reliant on a mother’s care. This is an understated, subtle collection, however, it will undoubtedly leave you mesmerized by the wholesome yet rigorous nature of motherhood.

– Jose Hernandez Diaz, author of Bad Mexican, Bad American

In Bruised Mother, Ashley Kirkland shares potent, archetypal reflections on the insubstantial and enduring moments of motherhood, exploring its joys and doldrums with raw honesty and vulnerability: “How do we reconcile / our love with everything / else we are called to do … / When this little being / calls for only everything / from us”. From tediously counting marshmallows into small cups, to cherishing sticky spaghetti hands on her face, to sacrificing what could have been, Kirkland captures the multifaceted experience of nurturing young children. Bruised Mother will resonate with mothers and fathers of all stripes, reminding us “to bathe in sunlight even if we are / alone, even if the sadness / threatens to fold in on us.” 

– Cate Clother, Editor in Chief, Cordella Press