Borderland: Poetry and Words from the Intersection of Race, Masculinity, Bisexuality, and Grief

by Ross Victory, zàri olàwàlé (preface), David Izaguirre Jr. (illustrator)

Borderland is a poetry collection by award-winning author Ross Victory. Borderland explores themes of masculinity, race, bisexuality, and grief. Through narrative prose and free verse, Victory portrays himself as a son, student, teacher, and lover, showcasing joy, agony, identity, enhanced with sprinkles of visceral desire over 40 poems. He challenges societal conformity, reimagining divine love and resilience at the crossroads of hetero- and homonormativity.

In this collection, borders are not just lines on a map but a metaphor for the liminal spaces where identity and experience converge. Victory’s creative expression serves as both protest and elevation, giving voice to those who traverse the rigid terrains of masculinity and race and the fluid nature of grief and bisexuality. Readers are invited on a one-of-a-kind adventure through the in-between, where the future feels both inevitable and uncertain, where the definitions of self and another blur, creating space for more personal freedom.

130 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 11, 2024

About the author

Ross Victory, (he/him), is an award-winning author, music artist, and entrepreneur from Los Angeles. Featured in LA Weekly, LA Blade, American Reporter, and Bi.org, Ross rediscovered the healing power of writing after losing his father and brother. A former English teacher, Ross creates immersive narrative experiences. He published “Views from the Cockpit,” a father-son memoir, in 2019, resulting in a portfolio of six original titles and a music catalog of 20 songs. His works explore self-discovery, adventure, bisexuality, and family. In 2023, he released the Pride anthem “Bisexual Daze” and Book 1 of the L.A.-based horror series “Grandpa's Cabin.” Ross also publishes articles and reflections about grief, biphobia, and elder abuse on Medium.com and recently spoke at their Annual Writer’s Conference.

Reviews

[R.Z. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author Ross Victory is a fantastic poet and prose writer. This illustrated poetry book is heartfelt and educational for those of us who are cisgender. I cannot imagine what it is like to walk in his shoes or feel what he feels, but his portrayal of his feelings as he struggles to come to terms with being black, bi-sexual, an artist and a very sensitive individual is compelling. I highly recommend it.

[Jay Newman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was only halfway through the book when I knew I would want to read it again. Then I realized I have never done that with a book of poetry before. I felt seen and celebrated while reading it. Highly recommend.

[Nancy M · Rating 4 out of 5]

A soft spoken collection of poems and short reflections well worth reading. Pensive to erotic, poignant to angry, the author works hard to honestly share his thoughts in a challenging but understandable way even to this Cis white woman. Understanding is a process, requiring repeated effort and humbleness to know we will never get there but still must do the best we can.