Tough & Tender

by Zane Frederick

Genres: Poetry

101 pages, Paperback

Published October 19, 2024

Reviews

[Caitlin Conlon]

This is Zane Frederick’s best collection to date—a lyrical, tender look at Love in all its glory, great for both new & seasoned poetry readers alike.

[Nicole Ting · Rating 5 out of 5]

"There is forgiveness in wisdom,
and there is prison in memory.

There are griefs you cannot divide because not everybody takes
their half so you have no choice but to remember it."

This collection truly lives up to its name: tough & tender. I'm struck by the way he personified Love as a breathing, living entity morphing with the seasons of our lives, navigating the relationship between the poet and the poem.

Personally, my favorite collection of Zane's to date. He's truly a master at weaving poignant, lyrical lines that will stay with you like a punch in the gut or warm hands bandaging wounded skin.

"This is how we run across death and everything
that moves between us: fingers and cars and cassettes."

[Makenzie Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVE<3 this collection warmed my heart in places that i haven’t honored in a long while. currently 25 and experiencing a fall to center of the earth kind of existentialist depression - and reading this poems brought some life back to me. the world is so beautiful! and painful! and god how lucky we are to be alive to witness it all - that’s how i feel after reading this work

[carly thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

wonderful
brilliant
heartbreaking
heart full
genius

[Kayla Simon]

zane’s best collection yet! “i’ve seen the light ! i’ve seen the light !”

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

i met zane by chance and was lucky enough to get to read this masterpiece. his writing is magnetic and captivating and doesn’t let you escape without feeling all the emotions to their fullest.