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A Bright and Borrowed Light: Poems
A gorgeous collection of poems exploring womanhood, sisterhood, love, loss, and longing, for people who find catharsis in poems, or people who have always wanted to read poetry, but don’t know where to start.
“How little / love is. How worth everything.” Such is the central theme of Courtney Kampa’s sharp yet tender “Skin and Other Weapons,” one in a collection of beautiful, intimate poems examining the little shared experiences that make us human. Courtney herself was the kind of person who made life better just for knowing her, and though she tragically passed in 2022, her work carries her brilliance and light forward. While Courtney is no longer here, her husband Will Anderson notes that converting readers to poetry was one of her greatest joys, and this collection will make a convert of any reader.
Courtney wrote for the girls she was raised with and the women she was raised by. She wrote for herself—which is to say, she wrote for so many of us. In “Cartography,” a group of friends dissects the end of a relationship with a woman who, through the telling, becomes “meaner now, and / more beautiful.” In “The Rules” she writes “I don’t believe in girlhood. I don’t believe / we are ever small, or ever don’t know what it is / we shouldn’t know,” challenging the sweetness and innocence constantly attributed to little girls who live in a world that is neither sweet nor innocent. In “The Cool Kids,” the speaker, desperate to belong but horrified by what her peers require of her, wonders “if this is what it feels like / to be pinned down by the sky.”
Individually, each of these poems feels like advice from a friend who knows you deeply and provides a sense of comfort and validation. Taken as a whole, the collection tells a larger story of growth—of the love and loss involved—and learning how to exist in the world. As accessible as they are transcendent, these poems will leave readers feeling as if they have been “anointed with a bright and borrowed light.”
“How little / love is. How worth everything.” Such is the central theme of Courtney Kampa’s sharp yet tender “Skin and Other Weapons,” one in a collection of beautiful, intimate poems examining the little shared experiences that make us human. Courtney herself was the kind of person who made life better just for knowing her, and though she tragically passed in 2022, her work carries her brilliance and light forward. While Courtney is no longer here, her husband Will Anderson notes that converting readers to poetry was one of her greatest joys, and this collection will make a convert of any reader.
Courtney wrote for the girls she was raised with and the women she was raised by. She wrote for herself—which is to say, she wrote for so many of us. In “Cartography,” a group of friends dissects the end of a relationship with a woman who, through the telling, becomes “meaner now, and / more beautiful.” In “The Rules” she writes “I don’t believe in girlhood. I don’t believe / we are ever small, or ever don’t know what it is / we shouldn’t know,” challenging the sweetness and innocence constantly attributed to little girls who live in a world that is neither sweet nor innocent. In “The Cool Kids,” the speaker, desperate to belong but horrified by what her peers require of her, wonders “if this is what it feels like / to be pinned down by the sky.”
Individually, each of these poems feels like advice from a friend who knows you deeply and provides a sense of comfort and validation. Taken as a whole, the collection tells a larger story of growth—of the love and loss involved—and learning how to exist in the world. As accessible as they are transcendent, these poems will leave readers feeling as if they have been “anointed with a bright and borrowed light.”
- GenresPoetry
112 pages, Hardcover
Published October 14, 2025
21 people are currently reading
3590 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
December 16, 2025
“Courtney collected small happinesses. Red lipstick. The permanent kiss-mark on a dog’s face. Scrawling a line of poetry on a mirror in a public place. The art of forgiveness. Music. Ballet. The people who populated her life, referred to always by their full names. Linking arms with a friend for a full day. Misty Virginia mornings. Riding her bike through dappled California light. Her personal library. Dogears, underlines, and peonies marking each favorite page. In a journal of quotes and doodles, she wrote, “no matter our age, we all have so much to live for.”
When she passed away suddenly in 2022, at the age of thirty-five, the grief for us was wordless. We each met and fell in love with Courtney in poetry programs: Catherine met her in the Columbia MFA program, T at the Wallace Stegner Fellowship. She treated us—as she did all her friends—like we were characters in a novel. Like it was an unbelievable thrill to encounter each other in real life.”
~ Catherine Pond and T Bambrick
I’m not sure when or how the cherubic face of Courtney Kampa first lit up my screen.
And her words first came through her husband Will’s voice, strong and settled in grief, which was confusing. Where was she? Why wasn’t she here?
What were all these otherworldly poems about mutinous sisters squeezing each others’ hands during church service, first loves blazing in the silence, childhood crushes frozen in death, childhood crossing into adulthood, unsure, defiant and buzzing with fear and tenderness?
Her face was an apparition in itself. Skin like snow under a riot of blond hair. A Viking poet in the making, living for nothing but the examined life, the singular violence and awe of words paired together, the undercurrents of memory running beneath the surface, caught in a white shirt in a waiting line.
In my favorite poem “It’s You I Like”, huddled with first graders in a supply closet during an active shooter drill, you will experience something very close to a state of grace. And a state of fury. In equal measure.
I can only be grateful that in a death that came too soon, this infinitely delicate book was born, all dressed up in dark cornflower blue, like an eternal bruise.
When she passed away suddenly in 2022, at the age of thirty-five, the grief for us was wordless. We each met and fell in love with Courtney in poetry programs: Catherine met her in the Columbia MFA program, T at the Wallace Stegner Fellowship. She treated us—as she did all her friends—like we were characters in a novel. Like it was an unbelievable thrill to encounter each other in real life.”
~ Catherine Pond and T Bambrick
I’m not sure when or how the cherubic face of Courtney Kampa first lit up my screen.
And her words first came through her husband Will’s voice, strong and settled in grief, which was confusing. Where was she? Why wasn’t she here?
What were all these otherworldly poems about mutinous sisters squeezing each others’ hands during church service, first loves blazing in the silence, childhood crushes frozen in death, childhood crossing into adulthood, unsure, defiant and buzzing with fear and tenderness?
Her face was an apparition in itself. Skin like snow under a riot of blond hair. A Viking poet in the making, living for nothing but the examined life, the singular violence and awe of words paired together, the undercurrents of memory running beneath the surface, caught in a white shirt in a waiting line.
In my favorite poem “It’s You I Like”, huddled with first graders in a supply closet during an active shooter drill, you will experience something very close to a state of grace. And a state of fury. In equal measure.
I can only be grateful that in a death that came too soon, this infinitely delicate book was born, all dressed up in dark cornflower blue, like an eternal bruise.
June 27, 2025
Wow, what a beautifully written piece that shows a woman’s journey from the very beginning. You can feel every emotion from love to heartbreak to sheer happiness all while being surrounded by Courtney’s world. Her memory will now live on in the words put to paper. Thank you Netgalley for this book in exchange for my honest review.
December 19, 2025
Beautiful. Some of my favorite lines:
“How little love is. How worth everything.” -Skin and Other Weapons
“To see the way he looks at her is to learn something of the sweet agony of looking at the one you love. It is to watch a woman being memorized by the way a sunrise is by a painter going blind: anguish and reverence and hunger.” -At Their Wedding
“This love, sister, we hold like household scissors against each other’s throats. Nothing human in you is alien to me. And you—you know by now what I’m made from.” -War of the Roses
“How little love is. How worth everything.” -Skin and Other Weapons
“To see the way he looks at her is to learn something of the sweet agony of looking at the one you love. It is to watch a woman being memorized by the way a sunrise is by a painter going blind: anguish and reverence and hunger.” -At Their Wedding
“This love, sister, we hold like household scissors against each other’s throats. Nothing human in you is alien to me. And you—you know by now what I’m made from.” -War of the Roses
July 24, 2025
I feel truly honored to have read this book. At the same time, it made me realize how much I still don’t fully grasp or appreciate modern poetry—I obviously have some work to do there.
This collection of poems was assembled by Will Anderson, husband of poet Courtney Kampa, who passed away unexpectedly in her sleep in 2022 at the age of 35. Will gathered what I believe were previously unpublished poems and brought them together in this beautiful posthumous collection.
While I appreciated the poems themselves, the note from Will at the back of the book really stood out to me. He shares a bit about their relationship and his reasons for publishing her work after her passing. Though it’s quite short, it’s heartfelt, honest, and left me wanting to know more. I admire the vulnerability he offered, especially in a space meant to spotlight Courtney’s voice.
It was a privilege to read her work. If you enjoy modern poetry—or want to sit with something tender and real—I think this collection is worth your time. If you’re like me and new to poetry, I do believe this book will make you question what you know about poetry.
This collection of poems was assembled by Will Anderson, husband of poet Courtney Kampa, who passed away unexpectedly in her sleep in 2022 at the age of 35. Will gathered what I believe were previously unpublished poems and brought them together in this beautiful posthumous collection.
While I appreciated the poems themselves, the note from Will at the back of the book really stood out to me. He shares a bit about their relationship and his reasons for publishing her work after her passing. Though it’s quite short, it’s heartfelt, honest, and left me wanting to know more. I admire the vulnerability he offered, especially in a space meant to spotlight Courtney’s voice.
It was a privilege to read her work. If you enjoy modern poetry—or want to sit with something tender and real—I think this collection is worth your time. If you’re like me and new to poetry, I do believe this book will make you question what you know about poetry.
Read
July 9, 2025it is no argument that courtney is a gifted and talented poet. she is able to string words together in such a beautiful way. I am known to dabble in poetry from time to time, so I was excited at the idea of a poetry collection centered around womanhood and coming of age. however, this was unfortunately not an approachable and digestible poetry collection to me as I could not garner much meaning from many of the poems. I understand that the intention with courtney's poetry collection was to appeal to those who may not have a natural ability to dissect poetry, but unfortunately I don't agree. I absolutely recommend to those more well-versed, perhaps not to those who dip in and out on occasion.
thank you to William Morrow for the arc in exchange for an honest review
thank you to William Morrow for the arc in exchange for an honest review
June 26, 2025
Thank you Netgalley, William Morrow, Will Anderson, for sending me this advanced review copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily. Also thank you to Courtney Kampa for your beautiful words. May your memory be a blessing.
This book of poetry was haunting and beautiful. I really enjoyed the long lines of prose, and how each poem told a story.
There were so many emotions flowing through the pages that showed us the balance between love, pain and violence. From childhood to becoming an adult, how we view these things changes a little more each year.
I was sad to find out the author had passed away. Her stunning voice and way with words will be deeply missed.
This book of poetry was haunting and beautiful. I really enjoyed the long lines of prose, and how each poem told a story.
There were so many emotions flowing through the pages that showed us the balance between love, pain and violence. From childhood to becoming an adult, how we view these things changes a little more each year.
I was sad to find out the author had passed away. Her stunning voice and way with words will be deeply missed.
July 5, 2025
These collections of poems explore so many topics. Inside it’s about the joys of sisterhood, womanhood, longing, and other things. It represents how life will get better. The author expresses through these poems the bright and borrowed light in a totally different way. It’s very beautifully written.
October 17, 2025
A beautiful, intimate collection of poems that make you feel as though you’re Courtney’s friend. Each poem has an incredible way of using imagery to evoke emotion all while remaining relatable and unpretentious.
October 14, 2025
thank you to william morrow books, netgalley, & will anderson for the arc copy of this stunning collection.
courtney kampa’s husband, will, is the lead vocalist of parachute, one of my favorite bands. at a karaoke bar after one of their shows in 2012, i was able to tell will how much one specific song of his meant to me. i didn’t have the lyrics tattooed on my thigh until a few years later, but i thought it’d be nice to get a picture of will’s words next to courtney’s (on my insta, @pearljamstagram). her poetry would occasionally pop up on my socials via the algorithm, & i knew i needed more. tragically, the world lost a bright (& borrowed) light when she passed away in 2022, so the opportunity to read her words when this book was published wasn’t lost on me—i couldn’t wait for october 14th. when william morrow approved my (very first.!) netgalley request for an arc… well, even my cold, dead heart jumped for joy. okay, now for the official review:
the only person capable of finding the words i need to describe how phenomenal this book is would be courtney herself. as she says in ‘fifth joyful mystery,’ it’s like “what the moon does when it is held down underwater, by which i mean something we haven’t words for.” but courtney does have words, arranged in an order unlike any poetry i’ve read before. courtney personifies—no, she gives life to everything around her, such as covering a door with black cloth like “mirrors when in mourning.”. she compares things in as unexpected ways as, “a woman with a voice like raspberries;” gives imagery to nouns, concepts, adjectives, etc.—indicating she, herself, saw beauty in every aspect of the universe. courtney describes the deepest of human emotions so viscerally, even alongside stating some lines of poetry can only hint to "sensations that cannot be explained."
i hope she knows just how soundly the sensations of her words can.
courtney takes adjectives and metaphors several steps further than the writer in me has ever thought to do. some of (many) examples are, “the gravel’s gray teeth” being crunched under boots, and “soundless as a deer over the husks of dried leaves.” my true favorite poem in this collection—though difficult to choose just one—is ‘cardiac.’ where the heart is architecture. where it has “its own set of vowels.” even quoting her words in my review doesn’t do them justice; stunning as they are out-of-context, they’re absolutely breathtaking within. having experienced the loss of several friends myself, the staggering intensity of ‘baby love’ hit me square in the gut. courtney kampa made me feel (‘feel’ is an inadequate word here) understood and seen, hopeful & heartbroken. grief and love, beauty and pain. an awe i’ve never before experienced, like suddenly seeing the world in brighter colors; all within the span of a few lines, then the next few all over again. in between, there were still moments of humor—like in ‘credo,’ though as with the rest of her poems this one can, and will, be interpreted hundreds of different ways.
but that’s the beauty of poetry, right—no two people read the same poem, even when reading the same words from the same book. something tells me courtney understood that, just as a songwriter penning lyrics does so with the awareness they’ll mean entirely different things to each listener; perhaps entirely different things to the same listener but at different points in their life. there’s so much more i could say about this book, but a lot of it feels just as personal to me as i imagine it did to courtney when she wrote each word.
to will, to courtney’s family and friends, to her colleagues & fellow poets: making her dream come true the way you have is the highest way to honor her. to *cherry* preserve her memory, ensure her legacy lives on. thank you for giving the world this inspiring glimpse at knowing her, too. her words have truly given me, once more, something to believe in.
happy release day to you all.
courtney kampa’s husband, will, is the lead vocalist of parachute, one of my favorite bands. at a karaoke bar after one of their shows in 2012, i was able to tell will how much one specific song of his meant to me. i didn’t have the lyrics tattooed on my thigh until a few years later, but i thought it’d be nice to get a picture of will’s words next to courtney’s (on my insta, @pearljamstagram). her poetry would occasionally pop up on my socials via the algorithm, & i knew i needed more. tragically, the world lost a bright (& borrowed) light when she passed away in 2022, so the opportunity to read her words when this book was published wasn’t lost on me—i couldn’t wait for october 14th. when william morrow approved my (very first.!) netgalley request for an arc… well, even my cold, dead heart jumped for joy. okay, now for the official review:
the only person capable of finding the words i need to describe how phenomenal this book is would be courtney herself. as she says in ‘fifth joyful mystery,’ it’s like “what the moon does when it is held down underwater, by which i mean something we haven’t words for.” but courtney does have words, arranged in an order unlike any poetry i’ve read before. courtney personifies—no, she gives life to everything around her, such as covering a door with black cloth like “mirrors when in mourning.”. she compares things in as unexpected ways as, “a woman with a voice like raspberries;” gives imagery to nouns, concepts, adjectives, etc.—indicating she, herself, saw beauty in every aspect of the universe. courtney describes the deepest of human emotions so viscerally, even alongside stating some lines of poetry can only hint to "sensations that cannot be explained."
i hope she knows just how soundly the sensations of her words can.
courtney takes adjectives and metaphors several steps further than the writer in me has ever thought to do. some of (many) examples are, “the gravel’s gray teeth” being crunched under boots, and “soundless as a deer over the husks of dried leaves.” my true favorite poem in this collection—though difficult to choose just one—is ‘cardiac.’ where the heart is architecture. where it has “its own set of vowels.” even quoting her words in my review doesn’t do them justice; stunning as they are out-of-context, they’re absolutely breathtaking within. having experienced the loss of several friends myself, the staggering intensity of ‘baby love’ hit me square in the gut. courtney kampa made me feel (‘feel’ is an inadequate word here) understood and seen, hopeful & heartbroken. grief and love, beauty and pain. an awe i’ve never before experienced, like suddenly seeing the world in brighter colors; all within the span of a few lines, then the next few all over again. in between, there were still moments of humor—like in ‘credo,’ though as with the rest of her poems this one can, and will, be interpreted hundreds of different ways.
but that’s the beauty of poetry, right—no two people read the same poem, even when reading the same words from the same book. something tells me courtney understood that, just as a songwriter penning lyrics does so with the awareness they’ll mean entirely different things to each listener; perhaps entirely different things to the same listener but at different points in their life. there’s so much more i could say about this book, but a lot of it feels just as personal to me as i imagine it did to courtney when she wrote each word.
to will, to courtney’s family and friends, to her colleagues & fellow poets: making her dream come true the way you have is the highest way to honor her. to *cherry* preserve her memory, ensure her legacy lives on. thank you for giving the world this inspiring glimpse at knowing her, too. her words have truly given me, once more, something to believe in.
happy release day to you all.
October 26, 2025
I’m bored by math but read somewhere the velocity at which one body turns from another is the same speed it takes the soul to fold in upon itself, a number star-hard and constant, dividing evenly into the wattage required to light a ribcage from within for eight seconds, or the length of time it takes standard-size pearls to melt…
A posthumous collection of poems that span her too short life, I believe, and a testament to the poet’s goal of making poetry that is accessible to everyone, and worth the read.
TAKE ME WITH YOU
Put your ribs into the wind when you say it. Expose a pearl-bellied throat to the sky. So many words for wrapping your mind around the self, instead of your arms around the ankles of another. Take me with you. Say it, and feel that ache in the teeth, the one unlearned as a child, when, in a snap for sweetness, you bit front-teeth-first into ice cream. No, much better to use the tongue like a spoon, or a thorn. Safer to claim and puncture by approaching from the side. Better to say I’ll come along too, or hey cool, I’m walking that direction anyway, but never take me with you. Never to show the heart so translucent and clear—an orb of glass, burned and blown thin enough to shatter. So much talk of abandon, but all along here is where the word was pointing: the airy pause before an answer, bones humming like a struck gong. Your pulse’s trembling, pale and light, as the dusted wings of a moth; as a milky circle of sea-foam on the beach, the water rising ever closer to the spot where you delicately, desperately sway.
AFTER BALTHUS
What moves is dying, and what is dying must make due with less. And still, a sudden pathos of half breath, this air’s frayed-syllables, bleached gold in the city’s afterrain. Still this wick-wet road, this wax. And so the unscrubbed faces of the windows look inward; so the door’s hinge cries a pitch higher when opened out. So the streetlight’s gray bells peal in their relentless sooty glow. So, in the avenue’s shadow, we’ll weigh all that is taken against what we must hand back.
Excerpts:
Like a bell shaken from someone’s hands I also gleam, with as much of noon as I can take anointed with a bright and borrowed light.
There really is no better way of describing her person than as a book of maps pointing the direction of your own.
And as could be expected, the flowers had grown so thick in their beauty they needed to be shaken to feel anything. The white branches freaked, arranged across the windshield like wilis* in the dark. What was crushed grew more fragrant then dropped. The roots strained to stay roots. Leaves deepened the headlights until its lacquer nearly pearled. Sort of amazing, someone decided. And someone else agreed.
It’s the vacant space where already and ever are never not looking at each other. It wants to want for nothing, which it does, but also wants a purpose, which it has already, which is just to hold itself together. Beauty is what the soul has made suffice. No one has ever seen God.
*? Unsure typo, maybe webs
A posthumous collection of poems that span her too short life, I believe, and a testament to the poet’s goal of making poetry that is accessible to everyone, and worth the read.
TAKE ME WITH YOU
Put your ribs into the wind when you say it. Expose a pearl-bellied throat to the sky. So many words for wrapping your mind around the self, instead of your arms around the ankles of another. Take me with you. Say it, and feel that ache in the teeth, the one unlearned as a child, when, in a snap for sweetness, you bit front-teeth-first into ice cream. No, much better to use the tongue like a spoon, or a thorn. Safer to claim and puncture by approaching from the side. Better to say I’ll come along too, or hey cool, I’m walking that direction anyway, but never take me with you. Never to show the heart so translucent and clear—an orb of glass, burned and blown thin enough to shatter. So much talk of abandon, but all along here is where the word was pointing: the airy pause before an answer, bones humming like a struck gong. Your pulse’s trembling, pale and light, as the dusted wings of a moth; as a milky circle of sea-foam on the beach, the water rising ever closer to the spot where you delicately, desperately sway.
AFTER BALTHUS
What moves is dying, and what is dying must make due with less. And still, a sudden pathos of half breath, this air’s frayed-syllables, bleached gold in the city’s afterrain. Still this wick-wet road, this wax. And so the unscrubbed faces of the windows look inward; so the door’s hinge cries a pitch higher when opened out. So the streetlight’s gray bells peal in their relentless sooty glow. So, in the avenue’s shadow, we’ll weigh all that is taken against what we must hand back.
Excerpts:
Like a bell shaken from someone’s hands I also gleam, with as much of noon as I can take anointed with a bright and borrowed light.
There really is no better way of describing her person than as a book of maps pointing the direction of your own.
And as could be expected, the flowers had grown so thick in their beauty they needed to be shaken to feel anything. The white branches freaked, arranged across the windshield like wilis* in the dark. What was crushed grew more fragrant then dropped. The roots strained to stay roots. Leaves deepened the headlights until its lacquer nearly pearled. Sort of amazing, someone decided. And someone else agreed.
It’s the vacant space where already and ever are never not looking at each other. It wants to want for nothing, which it does, but also wants a purpose, which it has already, which is just to hold itself together. Beauty is what the soul has made suffice. No one has ever seen God.
*? Unsure typo, maybe webs
November 24, 2025
3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars
Thank you @williammorrowbooks #partner for my free finished copy 💖.
Courtney Kampa passed away suddenly in her sleep on November 14, 2022. A few weeks before her passing, she shared with her husband, Will Anderson, her desire to publish more of her poems and her ambition to reach more readers. Will entrusted editors with the task of going through her drafts, notes, and previously unpublished work to assemble them into the collection we have in this book.
The result is a deeply moving collection of poetry about womanhood, friendship, love, loss, grief, and the quiet intensity of everyday moments. Some of the poems are quite approachable, while many others require a bit more introspection from the reader. A few are less structured and may require rereading to fully appreciate, but the overarching themes of longing, sadness, and grief are consistent throughout.
This isn’t exactly an uplifting read, but it’s still really beautiful. Knowing that the author passed away makes it hit even harder, especially when you realize some of these poems might have been among the last things she wrote.
People who already enjoy poetry that leans into emotional depth and reflection will connect with this collection. Those who are comfortable with ambiguity, or who are exploring themes of loss and longing in their own lives, will likely find it especially meaningful.
Read if you like:
📖Themes of womanhood, longing
📖Themes of friendship, grief, growth
📖Emotionally honest poetry
📖Reflective poetry
⚠️CW: Grief, death, sadness, longing, gender expectations, implications of sexual assault.
Thank you @williammorrowbooks #partner for my free finished copy 💖.
Courtney Kampa passed away suddenly in her sleep on November 14, 2022. A few weeks before her passing, she shared with her husband, Will Anderson, her desire to publish more of her poems and her ambition to reach more readers. Will entrusted editors with the task of going through her drafts, notes, and previously unpublished work to assemble them into the collection we have in this book.
The result is a deeply moving collection of poetry about womanhood, friendship, love, loss, grief, and the quiet intensity of everyday moments. Some of the poems are quite approachable, while many others require a bit more introspection from the reader. A few are less structured and may require rereading to fully appreciate, but the overarching themes of longing, sadness, and grief are consistent throughout.
This isn’t exactly an uplifting read, but it’s still really beautiful. Knowing that the author passed away makes it hit even harder, especially when you realize some of these poems might have been among the last things she wrote.
People who already enjoy poetry that leans into emotional depth and reflection will connect with this collection. Those who are comfortable with ambiguity, or who are exploring themes of loss and longing in their own lives, will likely find it especially meaningful.
Read if you like:
📖Themes of womanhood, longing
📖Themes of friendship, grief, growth
📖Emotionally honest poetry
📖Reflective poetry
⚠️CW: Grief, death, sadness, longing, gender expectations, implications of sexual assault.
October 16, 2025
ARC was provided by NetGalley & William Morrow
Actual Rating: 2.5 ⭐
Content/Trigger Warnings: Animal abuse, animal death, sexual assault, mass school shootings, brief reference of cultural appropriation of "Pocahontas" (Matoaka)
I was hopeful that I was going to love this poetry collection. However, I am SO EXHAUSTED of non-Native/non-Indigenous people referencing Disney's "Pocahontas" and forgetting that she was a real person, her name was Matoaka and she is considered on of the first MMIW. It is so incredibly exhausting to see non-Native/non-Indigenous people wanting to act, dress, and be like her, one of the most well-known Native figures in the entire Native community. And we have authors like this who are adding to the constant problems we as Native people have to constantly address, fight, argue, and educate on. I don't know how this slipped through the editing or how anyone who reviewed this book thought it was okay to have this reference in this book or even call this out, but it's greatly upsetting and just continues to add to Native/Indigenous appropriation. It's not okay. The other issue I had with this poetry collection was the formatting. The formatting made it a little difficulty to follow along at times and it was hard to tell if it was due to this being an arc or if this was going to be the final formatting for the book. Overall, there are some great quotes, really powerful sections throughout this book. However, I literally can't get over the one part of the reference to Matoaka. It really soured my reading experience, personally.
All thoughts, feelings, experiences, and opinions are honest and my own.
Instagram|StoryGraph|Ko-fi|Throne
Actual Rating: 2.5 ⭐
Content/Trigger Warnings: Animal abuse, animal death, sexual assault, mass school shootings, brief reference of cultural appropriation of "Pocahontas" (Matoaka)
I was hopeful that I was going to love this poetry collection. However, I am SO EXHAUSTED of non-Native/non-Indigenous people referencing Disney's "Pocahontas" and forgetting that she was a real person, her name was Matoaka and she is considered on of the first MMIW. It is so incredibly exhausting to see non-Native/non-Indigenous people wanting to act, dress, and be like her, one of the most well-known Native figures in the entire Native community. And we have authors like this who are adding to the constant problems we as Native people have to constantly address, fight, argue, and educate on. I don't know how this slipped through the editing or how anyone who reviewed this book thought it was okay to have this reference in this book or even call this out, but it's greatly upsetting and just continues to add to Native/Indigenous appropriation. It's not okay. The other issue I had with this poetry collection was the formatting. The formatting made it a little difficulty to follow along at times and it was hard to tell if it was due to this being an arc or if this was going to be the final formatting for the book. Overall, there are some great quotes, really powerful sections throughout this book. However, I literally can't get over the one part of the reference to Matoaka. It really soured my reading experience, personally.
All thoughts, feelings, experiences, and opinions are honest and my own.
Instagram|StoryGraph|Ko-fi|Throne
November 10, 2025
As someone who dreamed of taking one of Courtney’s classes someday, holding this collection is deeply bittersweet. I spent a long time digesting this collection because I didn’t want to rush it. I wanted to honor Courtney by giving it the attention and analysis that I think she would be proud of. It’s been a while since I slowed down to wade into some poetry and I adored it.
Courtney’s goal was to make poetry accessible to everyone and turn readers into poets. She wrote for the girls she was raised with and the women who raised her. This collection covers womanhood, sisterhood, love, loss, and longing.
This collection may not speak to every reader, but I don’t think any one poet or writer can speak to everyone’s heart and experiences. That being said, this collection feels like a gift from a big sister; offering me guidance to move through life; offering a hand and understanding.
Courtney’s husband, Will, wrote a note for the end of the collection and oh, how it made me cry. Profits from the writer’s side of this book go toward the COURTNEY KAMPA POETRY PRIZE at the University of Virginia, where she fell in love with poetry as an undergraduate.
Thank you to William Morrow for the ARC.
Courtney’s goal was to make poetry accessible to everyone and turn readers into poets. She wrote for the girls she was raised with and the women who raised her. This collection covers womanhood, sisterhood, love, loss, and longing.
This collection may not speak to every reader, but I don’t think any one poet or writer can speak to everyone’s heart and experiences. That being said, this collection feels like a gift from a big sister; offering me guidance to move through life; offering a hand and understanding.
Courtney’s husband, Will, wrote a note for the end of the collection and oh, how it made me cry. Profits from the writer’s side of this book go toward the COURTNEY KAMPA POETRY PRIZE at the University of Virginia, where she fell in love with poetry as an undergraduate.
Thank you to William Morrow for the ARC.
August 14, 2025
A Bright and Borrowed Light is a posthumous poetry collection exploring womanhood, sisterhood, love, loss, and longing, telling a larger story of growth—of the love and loss involved—and learning how to exist in the world.
What I appreciate most about her style is the sensitivity to nuance. They say writing good literature requires being a good observer first, and it’s true even more so for poetry. Kampa’s alchemical ability to transmute emotional states into precise yet unexpected imagery brings our shared human experience to life, even when her poetry does not adhere to a standard narrative. It is exactly these motifs that serve as a launching board for the author to lead us from one thought to the next, to achieve breadth while maintaining thematic cohesion.
One thing to note is that this collection is not particularly accessible. Some works may require a couple re-reads for newcomers to this genre, but it’s always worth it in the end.
It was a privilege to have the opportunity to read such a transcendent work and witness Courtney’s legacy live on.
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow Books for providing this ARC.
What I appreciate most about her style is the sensitivity to nuance. They say writing good literature requires being a good observer first, and it’s true even more so for poetry. Kampa’s alchemical ability to transmute emotional states into precise yet unexpected imagery brings our shared human experience to life, even when her poetry does not adhere to a standard narrative. It is exactly these motifs that serve as a launching board for the author to lead us from one thought to the next, to achieve breadth while maintaining thematic cohesion.
One thing to note is that this collection is not particularly accessible. Some works may require a couple re-reads for newcomers to this genre, but it’s always worth it in the end.
It was a privilege to have the opportunity to read such a transcendent work and witness Courtney’s legacy live on.
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow Books for providing this ARC.
August 26, 2025
Thank you to William Morrow for providing me with an advanced review copy!
This is such an amazing collection of poems, each one is so raw, intimate, and full of feeling. Courtney Kampa was such a talented poet, truly a bright and borrowed light in our world. These poems were such a true delight read and I feel like they really captured the feeling of womanhood and, as it says on the back, our shared experiences as humans. Many of the poems I had to read several times to make sense of them, but once I understood I felt so seen. I don't read a lot of poetry but Kampa's word choice is right up my alley, whimsical and niche. Her poems are relatable and provided some comfort to me. Again, as it says on the back "each of these poems feels like advice from a friend who knows you deeply..." and they were exactly that for me. I also appreciated being able to read Kampa's husband, William Anderson's, note at the end. It was a perfect conclusion to a perfect collection.
Thank you William for continuing the legacy of her work and welcoming us into her "warm and welcoming clubhouse."
This is such an amazing collection of poems, each one is so raw, intimate, and full of feeling. Courtney Kampa was such a talented poet, truly a bright and borrowed light in our world. These poems were such a true delight read and I feel like they really captured the feeling of womanhood and, as it says on the back, our shared experiences as humans. Many of the poems I had to read several times to make sense of them, but once I understood I felt so seen. I don't read a lot of poetry but Kampa's word choice is right up my alley, whimsical and niche. Her poems are relatable and provided some comfort to me. Again, as it says on the back "each of these poems feels like advice from a friend who knows you deeply..." and they were exactly that for me. I also appreciated being able to read Kampa's husband, William Anderson's, note at the end. It was a perfect conclusion to a perfect collection.
Thank you William for continuing the legacy of her work and welcoming us into her "warm and welcoming clubhouse."
October 15, 2025
A bright and borrowed light is a soul stirring, tender and emotional collection of poetry that beautifully weaves the themes of longing, love, womanhood, ebb and flow of life.
Courtney Kampa's words are deep and profound. I knew it that this will be one of my memorable and favourite poetry collection after reading the very first poem in this book. Her words encapsulates the significance of expressing vulnerabilities and emotional assurances to oneself when you are consumed by uncertainties, sorrows, worries and fears. It's an enlightening reminder that memories are precious and we must enjoy every moment of life. Each poem brings a sense of belongingness and understanding, a tender touch with a promise of forever.
The poems encompasses joys and sorrows, shades of grey and the sheer vision of believing that it's okay to let yourself feel all sorts of emotions and dedicated yourself to celebrate life.
"Love is nothing if not what takes its time."
It's a beautiful collection that is a must read for all poetry enthusiastics. Courtney's words will always be resonating and comforting.
Courtney Kampa's words are deep and profound. I knew it that this will be one of my memorable and favourite poetry collection after reading the very first poem in this book. Her words encapsulates the significance of expressing vulnerabilities and emotional assurances to oneself when you are consumed by uncertainties, sorrows, worries and fears. It's an enlightening reminder that memories are precious and we must enjoy every moment of life. Each poem brings a sense of belongingness and understanding, a tender touch with a promise of forever.
The poems encompasses joys and sorrows, shades of grey and the sheer vision of believing that it's okay to let yourself feel all sorts of emotions and dedicated yourself to celebrate life.
"Love is nothing if not what takes its time."
It's a beautiful collection that is a must read for all poetry enthusiastics. Courtney's words will always be resonating and comforting.
November 25, 2025
So this collection of poems came on my radar because I happened to follow Courtney Kampa's husband for his music content. This year I made an effort to read more and to challenge myself to read things that are out of the normal for me, this included reading poetry. I've never had anything against reading poetry, just was never something I thought about doing. What I come to find about reading these types of collections, especially this book. Is that they can be read in a slow burn manner, by reading one or two poems at a time if you don't go binge reading the whole book. What I also appreciated about this set of poems is that it felt like each one was a moment's snapshot into life of the author. Really painting a great picture of the person that Courtney was. Around the poems, this book explains pretty well how and why this collection was brought together and perfectly describe what Courtney was going for in her writing. Its a great tribute that I feel anyone would want that kind of love and care that was put into this book. Just don't let that detract from what best about this, and let it stand on its own. Glad to have this one in my library.
December 29, 2025
I’m not normally a poetry reader but I preordered this book as I follow this poet’s husband on Instagram and, after her sudden and unexpected death, he posthumously published this book of her poetry. As a fellow Nashvillian, I inexplicably felt a desire to get this book as a small way of honoring her life, a Bright and Borrowed Light.
I found myself wondering, as I read, “am I reading this right?” Was my inner voice pausing at the right spots? Was I supposed to be reading more rhythmically? Is there a deeper meaning that I’m supposed to be grasping? But, in the afterwards note, the author’s husband shared that one of her goals was to make poetry more accessible, to encourage readers to encounter poetry wherever they were, to eliminate the sentiment that it must be read from an academic lens. To this end, I believe my reading of her work was her mission fulfilled and I hope to read more poetry in the coming years.
I found myself wondering, as I read, “am I reading this right?” Was my inner voice pausing at the right spots? Was I supposed to be reading more rhythmically? Is there a deeper meaning that I’m supposed to be grasping? But, in the afterwards note, the author’s husband shared that one of her goals was to make poetry more accessible, to encourage readers to encounter poetry wherever they were, to eliminate the sentiment that it must be read from an academic lens. To this end, I believe my reading of her work was her mission fulfilled and I hope to read more poetry in the coming years.
August 23, 2025
This is what I call thinking poetry. Some had me reading them numerous times, each time looking for a new word, anew meaning, a new feeling, a new thought. Each, like fine art, interpreted by the voyeur. Conclusions while sometimes never reached; allow others to feel as though they have solved the mystery behind the words. My tears flowed during “ It’s you I Like” and then again as I am informed that the artist whose prose I have just spent the better part of a week devouring and digesting, is no longer with us. Oh to be introduced to one of your new favorite authors only to find that you will never have the chance to see what comes next. So I will go backwards and review the prose that came before and admire the life that was to briefly lived.
August 23, 2025
This is what I call thinking poetry. Some had me reading them numerous times, each time looking for a new word, anew meaning, a new feeling, a new thought. Each, like fine art, interpreted by the voyeur. Conclusions while sometimes never reached; allow others to feel as though they have solved the mystery behind the words. My tears flowed during “ It’s you I Like” and then again as I am informed that the artist whose prose I have just spent the better part of a week devouring and digesting, is no longer with us. Oh to be introduced to one of your new favorite authors only to find that you will never have the chance to see what comes next. So I will go backwards and review the prose that came before and admire the life that was to briefly lived.
October 16, 2025
I’m not someone who reads poetry. But this is a collection of poems from the late wife of one of my favorite musicians, and I felt a call to read it once I read from her husband that converting people to poetry was a passion of hers.
I once met Courtney during a tour stop for her husband’s band and she truly was “a bright and borrowed light.” It was a brief but such an impactful meeting with Courtney, she just radiated authenticity and brightness about her.
I was incredibly sad to hear about her sudden passing almost three years ago.
I’m not going to say I understood everything I read, but what I did feel was a very strong emotional reaction to her words. I have a feeling I’ll be rereading some of these poems and may even consider reading more poetry in the future.
I once met Courtney during a tour stop for her husband’s band and she truly was “a bright and borrowed light.” It was a brief but such an impactful meeting with Courtney, she just radiated authenticity and brightness about her.
I was incredibly sad to hear about her sudden passing almost three years ago.
I’m not going to say I understood everything I read, but what I did feel was a very strong emotional reaction to her words. I have a feeling I’ll be rereading some of these poems and may even consider reading more poetry in the future.
December 16, 2025
“...beauty is something other than what asks
a moment of adjustment
in the lives of those who see it. The trees doing that Goya thing
with the colors. Only a world like ours
would think we could know what to do with it.”
----------------
“A light-rain heart. A rub-some-dirt-on-it
heart. Revving heart, all rotor hum and easy reverse, sparks
gathered in its arms like arrows, turning around
until the body must, too. A come-
no-closer heart. Runaway heart
praying like hell that it’s followed. Unknowable,
unlikable heart. It could be anything in there, sealed
as it is, in such a darkness.”
----------------
”How little
love is. How worth everything.”
a moment of adjustment
in the lives of those who see it. The trees doing that Goya thing
with the colors. Only a world like ours
would think we could know what to do with it.”
----------------
“A light-rain heart. A rub-some-dirt-on-it
heart. Revving heart, all rotor hum and easy reverse, sparks
gathered in its arms like arrows, turning around
until the body must, too. A come-
no-closer heart. Runaway heart
praying like hell that it’s followed. Unknowable,
unlikable heart. It could be anything in there, sealed
as it is, in such a darkness.”
----------------
”How little
love is. How worth everything.”
September 13, 2025
This collection of poetry and I am honored that I was able to read it. The way that Courtney told a story through her poems while artfully evoking deep emotions through metaphor and language is truly amazing. A few stand outs for me were “Driving into the Lilacs”, “Baby Love”, “War of the Roses”, “Letter to his Wife”, and “At their Wedding”.
That being said that while the anthology stood strong all on its own, I was also deeply touched by Courtney’s husband, Will Anderson. His devotion and love are clear in his words and actions. I am grateful that he shared his wife’s gift with us and that her words and passion will find many others.
Thank you for the ARC.
That being said that while the anthology stood strong all on its own, I was also deeply touched by Courtney’s husband, Will Anderson. His devotion and love are clear in his words and actions. I am grateful that he shared his wife’s gift with us and that her words and passion will find many others.
Thank you for the ARC.
October 26, 2025
A Bright and Borrowed Light was a quick yet beautifully written collection of poems that left a lasting impression. Courtney Kampa’s words explore womanhood, sisterhood, love, loss, and longing with both tenderness and depth. Each poem feels like advice from a close friend—intimate, raw, and deeply human.
Even though Courtney tragically passed in 2022, her brilliance shines through every line. Her poems capture the contradictions of growing up, loving deeply, and learning to exist in a world that isn’t always kind. Accessible yet transcendent, this collection is perfect for anyone who already finds solace in poetry—or those who’ve always wanted to start. By the end, you truly feel, as the title promises, anointed with a bright and borrowed light.
Even though Courtney tragically passed in 2022, her brilliance shines through every line. Her poems capture the contradictions of growing up, loving deeply, and learning to exist in a world that isn’t always kind. Accessible yet transcendent, this collection is perfect for anyone who already finds solace in poetry—or those who’ve always wanted to start. By the end, you truly feel, as the title promises, anointed with a bright and borrowed light.
October 15, 2025
3.5 rounded up. I’m not usually a poetry person so it is difficult for me to fully appreciate the process – the brainstorming, the writing, words and line breaks carefully placed for emotional impact. But this is a beautiful collection of poems that lead you through the journey of girlhood to womanhood, vulnerability and strength, love and loss. Many I did really enjoy, some I didn’t really understand. The author’s husband also did a great job of compiling poems that lead us through her life.
Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
November 6, 2025
Beautiful art makes you feel things. Baby Love broke me. It’s impossible not to cry reading it.
“Gregory, ask me to name a thing as indestructibly beautiful as you, and I cannot.”
With this line it’s almost as if she put that childhood crush on a pedestal and compared all future crushes to him. In death we see perfection. And yet the line comes right after describing his poor mother, in denial, and I could see a grieving mother saying similar words. My son, nothing exists here now as beautiful as you. Truly gutting.
“Gregory, ask me to name a thing as indestructibly beautiful as you, and I cannot.”
With this line it’s almost as if she put that childhood crush on a pedestal and compared all future crushes to him. In death we see perfection. And yet the line comes right after describing his poor mother, in denial, and I could see a grieving mother saying similar words. My son, nothing exists here now as beautiful as you. Truly gutting.
June 27, 2025
If it was the end of the world as we know it and I had to pick which digital drive to save at the Library of Congress, it would be the one filled with poetry. This collection was exactly what we need to hear: stories and memories. Are they made up? Are they the author's? The beauty is in not knowing, but feeling deeply like it could be either. What a beautiful labor of love.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for an Advanced Reader's Copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for an Advanced Reader's Copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 23, 2025
Words that resonate. This poet has seen light and darkness, and shares both in such a tangible way. Some poems struck me as darker than expected, but the lie, "If the reader is uncomfortable and in slight pain, you're doing your job," brought that all together. That is how some poems - and life events - feel. That is how we communicate. Not all is bright light.
Her husband's love letter at the end strikes the heart.
Her husband's love letter at the end strikes the heart.
July 19, 2025
Some of these poems are a little too esoteric for me but some of them are absolutely wonderful. Baby Love made me cry in the best possible, heartbreaking way. Kampa is wonderful not just with creative ways with words but with emotion. A beautiful collection.
I read a digital ARC of this book via netgalley.
I read a digital ARC of this book via netgalley.
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