Cicadas in the belly

butterflies, it’s often described as the fluttering feeling in one’s stomach when looking at their crush. an innocent spark of sentiment that colors the beginning of romance in vivid hues and child-like excitement. but what about the rest, when butterflies are too delicate of a descriptor, the rose-tinted glasses fade to dull reality, and love is now a tangled and aching thing. that would be cicadas in the belly. insects that buzz loudly and bang wildly against their surroundings, just like the capricious emotions of the heart. this poetry book explores the raw reality of love, sexuality, the violence that intermingles the two, and the intricate connections we all have with other humans. told through the lens of a queer, female, lovesick poet.