Tending Clay, Unearthing Stars: Poems

by M.J. Anthony

Today I am learning to take anxiety by the hand and teach this trembling, fragile beast that we are (and yet will be) okay.

In their debut collection, MJ Anthony navigates a complicated web of intersecting topics such as complex trauma, neurodiversity, lasting illness, and practicing self-love in a body long-alienated from you. Alongside the reader, the author combs tangles into threads and weaves them into a gentler future, reunifying selves and stories both old and new. Part hurting, part healing, and wholly original, Tending Clay; Unearthing Stars is a love letter to everyone living with a broken body or a troubled mind.

Genres: Poetry, Queer

100 pages, Paperback

Published March 10, 2025

Reviews

[Martina Weiß · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you very much for providing me with an ARC copy of this. It was an honor and a pleasure.


5/5 Stars


Okay, I honestly don’t even know where to start except to say: this was such a good book. I finished the very first poem, had to take a moment, and thought, “Uff, this is a 5-star read—I can feel it.” Spoiler: it absolutely was.

This collection made me feel so raw. I’ll be honest, some of the poems got me very close to tears. It hits you right in the heart and doesn’t let go. I wish I could write a long, detailed review gushing about all the incredible things this collection does, but honestly? I think I forgot how to English. Or maybe, there just aren’t words strong enough to express how much I loved this book.

Would absolutely recommend!

[lizzie ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I want to go into the woods somewhere
and scream and scream and scream
because I've never heard my voice
at it's full power, and I wonder
when I emerge from the trees
if I would recognize
the creature I've become." - M. J. Anthony
...
...
Reading a collection of poems should always feel like this. Emotional, desperate, honest, and raw. It puts you on edge...almost like you're reading someone's private journal and you could be caught at any moment.

There's a mix of long and short poetry which creates a really nice pace as you continue to read the book.
The poems cover an array of different topics that I don't necessarily find myself relating too. Though that doesn't make them any less well written or beautiful to read. And I clap my hands in admiration of the poet's strength.

[Katja Labonté]

DNF. I picked this up right away as an ARC because I enjoyed the author’s work in “Unleash the Cosmos.” After skimming through this anthology I realized it wasn’t my cup of tea… I just didn’t click with the style. I was also a little blindsided by the amount of language. I love the cover and title though.

Content:
Frequent use of the f-word & s-word. Not having read much I can’t say any more but here’s the author’s content list: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Effie Stock · Rating 5 out of 5]

UPDATE:
This book now holds a very special place in my heart after it gave me the courage and words to speak to my therapist and family about some issues I finally felt ready to face.

Original Review:
Snarfed this up in a single sitting at work. Such a jaringly beautiful dissection of a hurting hopful soul. I teared up at the parts about ED and found so much comfort within it's pages 🖤✨️

[labibliofille · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a transparent, honest, and brave compilation of poems straight from the soul.

[R.C.Lloyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anthony's poetry swallows the idea of identity with a glass of chronic illness, asking which parts of yourself get to be whole. It weighs tending to themselves while getting sick and getting better and getting sick again as a constant rollercoaster, all while unearthing their own queer identity. The poems that spoke about exhaustion and salt and medications and doctors really resonated with me.

[elbow ☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars
thanks to booksirens and the publisher for the e-arc!
this collection really grew on me as i read it. some of the poems at the beginning didn't make much of an impression on me, but ones placed later in the collection were really incredible and breathtaking.

my favourites from the collection were:
walls
i fell in love with myself in pieces
does money buy happiness? (on habitat requirements) the final line of this poem really stuck out to me. so much meaning in just a few words.
appetite
reflection (ii)
on life expectancy (one more time)

i'm looking forward to reading more works from this author!

[Arlo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tending Clay; Unearthing Stars is in my heart a masterpiece.

Every poem is raw and honest that sticks to your ribs and won't leave your mind afterwards.
Anthony's beautiful imagery is a journey of the pain of love, healing, and self.
This collection will make your heartache in the best way and I cannot recommend it enough.

I received an advanced copy for free, and am leaving my review voluntarily.

[Dyl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I appreciate what the author was doing here in explaining their experience through poetry and covered some really interesting and little spoken about topics. I managed to get some insight into the topics raised but also found some of the poems felt unfinished and it didn’t feel like the intended aim but maybe that’s just me. I was pleased to be able to read this for free as an advanced review copy and am voluntarily leaving thing this review.

[IV · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨ ARC review ✨

4,5 stars

This reflective poetry collection dives into some heavy topics (eating disorders, chronic illness, and grief, among others.) It was a very emotional and relatable read for me. The writing style is really unique which made some poems all the better and others a bit chaotic to read for me personally but overall I can highly recommend it if you're up for the themes. There's some profound truth and relatable experience in there, especially from a queer and/or disabled/chronically ill lens, and I enjoyed the collection a lot.

I received an e-ARC of this book. I am leaving a review voluntarily, and it is my honest opinion.

[MJ Anthony]

It's almost time! Tending Clay; Unearthing Stars is coming your way on March 10th, 2025 from Dragon Heart Press and MJ Anthony (that's me!)

Official Content Warnings:
disordered eating, gender dysphoria, chronic illness & fatigue, treatment resistant depression (non-suicidal), self-hatred, complex trauma, and toxic religion.

For any Queer or Disability reading challenges you may want to use TC;US with, MJ Anthony self-identifies as queer, trans, nonbinary/genderfluid, asexual, and on the aromantic spectrum (pan & greyromantic specifically). They are also mentally ill & neurodivergent, as well as chronically ill/disabled with c-PTSD, PMDD & Post-Treatment Lyme Disease symptoms. They are white, and their pronouns are they/them.

[Crystal Bearden · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had so many feelings reading this collection. The themes of body confidence (or lack thereof) and the pain of existing in a human body hit me deeply, but it was the feeling of hope that pervaded the entire volume that's sticking with me for good.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[squid_the_bibliophile · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is one where the author puts their soul on the page. Heartwarming, heartbreaking, and full of self-discovery. The representation of chronic illness and mental illness is written beautifully and in a way that it can speak to those who have experienced it and want to understand it. I loved this collection and can see myself going back to read my favourite poems on a rainy day.

[Ambre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just amazing. I've rarely had poems bring me to tears but these did. I bookmarked and quoted so many, but my faves were 'on environmental stressors' and 'reflection (iv)'. I'm not usually one for poetry but this collection has changed my perspective. 🖤

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! Amazing poetry! Definitely interesting and inspiring! Looking forward to reading more from this author!

[Sarah Sims · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anthony’s words flow beautifully, expressing pain and healing, learning to love oneself despite the impossible standards put on us by society and, perhaps more brutal, those we put on ourselves. Although the work comes from their unique history it speaks to the pain of the modern world, particularly for those who are somehow different from “normal”, whether that be neurodiversity, sexual orientation, or chronic illnesses (both mental and physical), and is therefore relatable in a way that is both painful but also healing. It reminds us that we are not alone in our pain and that we deserve healing, joy, and acceptance.
The book does contain a content warning that I recommend paying attention to so that you can be prepared to engage with subjects that may be difficult for those with particular lived experiences but I also believe the poetry is worth engaging if/when you are in a place where you can do so safely.
I will definitely come back to this work again as I think an additional read (or perhaps more than one) would be good to fully absorb the work and allow me to see things I didn’t on a first read. I also plan to look into their other work and see if I find it as engaging as this collection.
*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*

[Cayolimebooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5⭐

Thank you MJ Anthony for the ARC of Tending Clay; Unearthing Stars! As my first received ARC was from them, I was really excited to receive a another.

Before going into my thoughts, I'd like to say poetry and poems have always been difficult for me to read and that had me at a bit of disadvantage.

Tending Clay; Unearthing Stars is both very emotional and deep. It's also a very personal work, you can tell that MJ Anthony has put a lot of themselves into every word.

How they write about body, pain, grief and just how life comes at you is relatable and triggering. There's a lot of trauma presented and their content warning is there for a reason. But as much as there's pain in this collection, there's also love, self-love and hope and it's beautiful.

Why am I sticking to a 3 star then? 3 stars isn't a bad rating to me, it means it's good and I enjoyed it. It's simply not higher because I'm not sure I'm the intended reader. But that's on me and not on the amazing writing of MJ Anthony. With the right reader, this is a 5 star no doubt about it!

[Nathaniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Update: I got my first paperback today! I reread it and annotated it and fell in love with it all over again.

If you're looking to read more poetry in 2025 (and beyond), this collection should be on your TBR. It's a heartfelt collection written by a person who is made up of so much heart. When I set out to open up a poetry imprint, there was only one poet that I could imagine doing it with...and that was MJ. I have known MJ for a long time, but it's not just that. It's that MJ has been instrumental in my own poetry journey. They were one of the first people to encourage my poetry, to coax it out of me, and for that I will be forever grateful.

Tending Clay; Unearthing Stars is a collection of poetry that will have you experiencing a little bit of every emotion. There's so much woven through these words. The journey of self is the core of this book and it's so well done.

I think ever reader will find themself a little more whole after reading this book.

[Kira K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoughts:
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This is a touching, sometimes difficult poetry collection to read. Anthony doesn’t shy away from complex topics such as their gender identity and the reality of living in a disabled body as such the trigger warning at the beginning was a great idea. Some poems really struck a chord with me such as The Doctor Says, “Keep Doing What You’re Doing”, He(e/a)ling, Balancing Act and Appetite as they spoke to experiences I myself have been through in a beautifully haunting way.

Favourite Quote:
“because i am getting sicker and better and sicker and better and sicker again and I have done this dance for thirteen years this fall
because at thirteen my body started breaking and that is too young to be catching every piece of you that falls and i am running out of hands”

[Elliel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I requested and received this book from BookSirens. My opinions are my own

If you are trans and chronically ill and you love poetry that is as beautifully written as it is presented pick up this book.

Reading "Tending Clay, Unearthing Stars" was like being seen and heard for the first time. As a chronically ill trans person I love to seek out stories like my own especially when I'm not feeling the best. It helps to know I'm not alone (and this year has me seeking them out voraciously.

This poetry collection is everything I needed to hear. Even the moments of heartache and anger shared within the pages. The poems that hit me the hardest were "on life expectancy
(one more time)" and "does money buy happiness?
(on habitat requirements)".

[K.C. Norton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I do tend to prefer poetry that plays with language, or expresses things in unexpected ways. Anthony's poetry reads, to me, a bit more like voice notes left in moments of clarity. In other words, the poems are accessible, and they chronicle the poet's thoughts on disability and trans identity. It's clear that each of these works is deeply personal to the author, especially in light of the note at the back. They chronicle depression, alterations, and new beginnings in direct language that I believe many readers will find relatable.

I received an ARC of this book through BookSirens, and my review is left voluntarily.

[Cavak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovingly independent poetic voice. Simple on the surface, but the depths Anthony pulls from is so warm and heartfelt. This is the type of poetry that soothes while they dig, and it's a type of poetry that I didn't expect at all while I read. Throw in allusions to space and stars, and consider me hooked.

Can't wait to read another from Anthony soon. Hoping that they read these aloud somewhere someday too.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[KA Vickers · Rating 5 out of 5]

This took me a few days and it was something else. It was an emotional rollercoaster even for someone who hasn't experienced a lot of these things.

This is a collection I will be revisiting over and over because I know there'll be different things I come across on future reads.

This deals with some really hard subjects but if you're aware of that and open to it then this is a wonderful book to add to your collection.

Thank you to the author for sharing so much of your story this way

[Line Magnus · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really lovely collection. The poems are deeply felt and beautifully worded, and definitely struck a chord in me several times. Like in all collections, there are entries that resonate more and entries that resonate less, but on the whole this was a really wonderful reading experience, and I absolutely recommend this book.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Sirah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes the girl you grew up as bears little resemblance to the man you become. But other times, she does. This book follows elements of a life spent learning, questioning, growing, and despairing. I would recommend it to anyone who's experienced gender dysphoria or who would like to better empathize with other folks who do.

Thank you to BookSirens and the author for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Alex Silvius · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know me. I adore a good poetry collection. What we have here is the perfect example of a good poetry collection. It hits hard, it hits soft, and it shows love. What more could I want?

[Aimen Lark · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read poetry when I want to be torn apart and put back together again...

M.J. Anthony did that so perfectly