Elizabeth Sophia Strauss's warm, intimate poems feel like letters written from the soul as they confront the very heart of human experience: what does it mean to love after heartbreak? How can we bear to create beauty and art in a world filled with loss, loneliness, and pain? When we open ourselves to the forces of nature and love, how can this transform our human existence? In this debut collection, readers will travel on a poetic journey flooded with brilliant night skies, music in the summer air, and cold ocean depths. Inner Visions traces its gaze from the wheel of the zodiac to the turn of a record, and this powerful collection weaves feminine power, queerness, and the search for self with mysticism and spiritual grace.
With this existential exploration, Elizabeth describes in great detail the burdens and victories of life. Though she has earned the moniker Dead Pan, she shares zir innermost visions calling out for help and hope, and gives us permission to do the same. She normalizes the longing - the struggle - for connectedness as she searches for it in the elements, nature a divine intervention. This sensual journey of breaking, healing, and rebirth is captured in zir desire to connect with zirself and the world around zir. Through uncertainty, Elizabeth embraces the ebb and flow of life and dances to zir own tune. Inner Visions is a reminder that, even when we are lost, we are always somewhere familiar and there is always music to be found.
-Maureen P. Medina, Author of My Fears Out Loud
Elizabeth's work in "Inner Visions" is an invitation in both self exploration and expression. The poetry invites the reader to come along the journey of self excavation and discovery, promising the jewels that can be found when we look within, and the empowerment we gleam when we express ourselves through poetry. Each poem feels like an intimate safe space that showcases these hidden gems within ourselves, allowing the reader to open up and be brave. I believe the work in this book has the power to support others as a companion guide of sorts, to the beautiful transformation that can be found when we truly know ourselves and what we want our life to be. I'm excited for each reader who gets their hands on this book, it will impact their life in ways that will cultivate joy for years to come.
-Shane Manier, Tedx Keynote Speaker and Executive Director of Guerilla Poets
Elizabeth has brought out a bunch of quick jabs in zirs book. These jabs hit the very ego, mind and soul with vulnerability and power. Each section of this book confines six separate degrees of zirs soul. You will be dancing in the dark starlight towards a beautiful sunset of ambient light. You will find fire in the sunlight, and love in the moonlight. You will not be wasting time in this book, instead you will be waltzing with the words towards the very last word of the last line of the last poem. In this book, she is more than just "A calm crab who can live in the coldest waters" she is everything.
-Nick Paleologos, author of Ad Versus Reaction, open mic host and workshop facilitator
