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Hustling Verse: An Anthology of Sex Workers' Poetry
In this trailblazing anthology, more than fifty self-identified sex workers from all walks of the industry (survival and trade, past and present) explore their lived experience through the expressive nuance and beauty of poetry. In a variety of forms ranging from lyrics to list poems to found poetry to hybrid works, these authors express themselves with the complexity, agency, and honesty that sex workers are rarely afforded. Contributors from Canada, the US, Europe, and Asia include Gregory Scofield, Tracy Quan, Summer Wright, and Akira the Hustler. As an antidote to the invasive and often biased media depictions of sex workers, Hustling Verse is a fiercely groundbreaking exploration of intimacy, transactional sex, identity, healing, and resilience.
199 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2019
20 people are currently reading
993 people want to read
About the author
Amber Dawn
22 books219 followersAmber Dawn is a writer, filmmaker and performance artist based in Vancouver. She is the author of the novel Sub Rosa (Arsenal Pulp Press, 2010), editor of the Lambda Award-nominated Fist of the Spider Woman (Arsenal Pulp Press, 2008) and co-editor of With a Rough Tongue: Femmes Write Porn (Arsenal Pulp Press, 2005). Her award-winning, genderfuck docu-porn, "Girl on Girl," has been screened in eight countries and added to the gender studies curriculum at Concordia University. She has toured three times with the infamous Sex Workers' Art Show in the US. She was voted Xtra! West's Hero of the Year in 2008. She has an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia. Currently, she is the director of programming for the Vancouver Queer Film Festival.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
February 20, 2024
Some favourite passages from this diverse anthology with plenty of queer and/or POC representation:
"sex fills me up & love reminds me / it's okay to be empty" - "dream boy" by Justin Ducharme
"You are utterly in love. What is the distinction between you and this swirling world?" - "a celebration of darkness" by Jaene F. Castrillon
"to my clients who tell me I look tired / i am / because your dick is the 8th one today ... because the bees are dying and i can't make my rent" - "to my clients..." by Stickie Stackedhouse
"I wanted to be ruined more than I wanted to be loved...my body is a weapon I don't know how to love gently with" - "de.vour" by Natalie House
“We rode the night until / the genocide of indifference / & conniving knives of hatred / disappeared us all” - “West End Sex Workers Memorial” by Raven Slander
“Whipping around the pole, / back arched, heart bare–She is / the second coming, / and dear God / I believe.” - “ Revival at the Pillow Talk Lounge” by Garuda Love
Content warning, there's a lot of trauma in here which I was expecting; one poem I wish i had skipped because the content was difficult (on p.145-6) features a pedophile client
"sex fills me up & love reminds me / it's okay to be empty" - "dream boy" by Justin Ducharme
"You are utterly in love. What is the distinction between you and this swirling world?" - "a celebration of darkness" by Jaene F. Castrillon
"to my clients who tell me I look tired / i am / because your dick is the 8th one today ... because the bees are dying and i can't make my rent" - "to my clients..." by Stickie Stackedhouse
"I wanted to be ruined more than I wanted to be loved...my body is a weapon I don't know how to love gently with" - "de.vour" by Natalie House
“We rode the night until / the genocide of indifference / & conniving knives of hatred / disappeared us all” - “West End Sex Workers Memorial” by Raven Slander
“Whipping around the pole, / back arched, heart bare–She is / the second coming, / and dear God / I believe.” - “ Revival at the Pillow Talk Lounge” by Garuda Love
Content warning, there's a lot of trauma in here which I was expecting; one poem I wish i had skipped because the content was difficult (on p.145-6) features a pedophile client
December 2, 2019
Hustling Verse is a fucking accomplishment. A blend of the absurd alongside poems so real, so conjured from a truth that you can sense its beating heart. This anthology is rife with trauma but it's also alive with a fierceness, a combination of forces to be reckoned with. I couldn't devour this anthology with the usual speed I read poetry because it felt like I was being devoured back. I am a sensitive creature and this collection in its raw yet sharpened glory was a lot to absorb.
I have much respect for sex workers and for poets, and this powerful blend of professions is nothing short of fantastic. Bravo.
I have much respect for sex workers and for poets, and this powerful blend of professions is nothing short of fantastic. Bravo.
March 30, 2020
Absolutely loved this collection of poetry. Wide variety of subjects and styles.
August 23, 2019
ARC provided by Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
I really loved what this anthology was trying to do but unfortunately it didn’t really work for me. The poetry wasn’t my cup of tea as it resembled modern poetry generally. Even though all these poems are written by different people I could hardly tell and after reading multiple poems in a row they all started to blend together. I understand they were all tackling the same theme and so their poems would all be linked but I found they were all saying the same thing. I feel bad saying that because you could tell these people were really putting themselves out there in these poems. I completely respect them for that and I appreciate them sharing their stories in this collection. I no way do I want to sound like i’m invalidating these peoples experiences. I’m happy this book exists for other people, but unfortunately it wasn’t for me.
I really loved what this anthology was trying to do but unfortunately it didn’t really work for me. The poetry wasn’t my cup of tea as it resembled modern poetry generally. Even though all these poems are written by different people I could hardly tell and after reading multiple poems in a row they all started to blend together. I understand they were all tackling the same theme and so their poems would all be linked but I found they were all saying the same thing. I feel bad saying that because you could tell these people were really putting themselves out there in these poems. I completely respect them for that and I appreciate them sharing their stories in this collection. I no way do I want to sound like i’m invalidating these peoples experiences. I’m happy this book exists for other people, but unfortunately it wasn’t for me.
August 20, 2019
I don't believe I can write a review well enough to give this book of poetry the justice and the power it deserves. But I will try, forgive me if it's not enough.
Sex work is one of the oldest and dangerous professions in the world. It has and possibly will be for awhile something that people often look down at or turn a blind eye to. There's the stigmatization of course but this world in general is not kind to people who use their bodies to achieve higher means.
This book was perfection. It was raw, explicit, and unapologetic. It showcased the violence attributed to sex work and highlighted the marginalized. LGBT, people of color, everything in between. The poetry was stark and real and I don't want to choose favorites because so many were amazing but one that stood out to me especially was
You especially, by Pluma Sumaq.
This is a collection of pain, desire, resilience, and love and I am so happy that it was published and I have the honor of reviewing it.
Thanks very much to Edelweiss and the publisher for this DRC. All opinions are my own.
Sex work is one of the oldest and dangerous professions in the world. It has and possibly will be for awhile something that people often look down at or turn a blind eye to. There's the stigmatization of course but this world in general is not kind to people who use their bodies to achieve higher means.
This book was perfection. It was raw, explicit, and unapologetic. It showcased the violence attributed to sex work and highlighted the marginalized. LGBT, people of color, everything in between. The poetry was stark and real and I don't want to choose favorites because so many were amazing but one that stood out to me especially was
You especially, by Pluma Sumaq.
This is a collection of pain, desire, resilience, and love and I am so happy that it was published and I have the honor of reviewing it.
Thanks very much to Edelweiss and the publisher for this DRC. All opinions are my own.
February 2, 2020
Typically not a poetry fan, but I really enjoyed these.
September 21, 2019
This is a much-needed volume of poetry from an often invisible group. With over 50 contributors, Hustling Verse full of candid, sharp, and wise works covering the spectrum of contemporary poetry styles. As Amber Dawn and others explain in the introductory pieces, it is imperative that sex workers express themselves and their truths instead of outsiders always being the ones who tell their stories. This is a wonderful example of the passion and creativity we can experience if we just listen to sex workers themselves. A wide variety of poets are represented here, from Indigenous people, transgender, gender-nonconforming, and Two Spirit, to queer people, and more. Topics vary widely as well and include poems about sex, Johns, violence, love, joy, pain, humor, police, and more. I appreciated the focus on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women in a lot of the pieces. This is a fantastic volume of poetry and adds so much to the genre. Thank you to the publisher for the paperback ARC; my views are honest and my own.
January 30, 2022
This anthology of poetry was eye opening and many were enjoyable whether because they were humorous or serious. I did find some of the poems lacking but could attribute that to my taste or some poems were confusing. All of this to say that this book is important. Some of the lines stopped me in my tracks and I found myself saving them to share with others and with the intention to reread them at a later time.
September 14, 2019
While I liked that this book shared the thoughts and feelings of those whose voices are rarely heard, I found the poetry to be poorly written. I get that they are not professional writers, but as an avid poetry reader this didn't work for me.
March 13, 2020
a gorgeous, resplendent, glittery, wonderful anthology! got me out of a reading slump!
the mythology and the magic and the banalities and violence and deeply funny moments of sex work are demonstrated beautifully here. i’m shook.
the mythology and the magic and the banalities and violence and deeply funny moments of sex work are demonstrated beautifully here. i’m shook.
May 7, 2020
Solid 3.5. 5 stars for intent and purpose. 3 stars for the poetry therein. Of course, the point isn't to please, it's to open up eyes. Even if the poetry wasn't to my taste, it was important.
April 5, 2022
What a beautiful anthology. You experience such a range of emotion and understanding of these sex workers’ lives, but through this artful lens and structure. Very compelling and highly recommended
April 16, 2020
Incredible, moving, highly recommend.
December 25, 2019
Reading this book has fired up my passion for poetry all over again. It's a diverse, bold, and fierce collection that I look forward to rereading in years to come. If you plan to peruse it, please note: TRIGGER WARNING for sexual/physical/verbal/emotional abuse, assault, trafficking, substance use and addiction, suicide, sexual content, mental illness... the works. Take care of yourself while reading.
September 30, 2019
The most powerful anthology I’ve read, combining incredible poetry from the amazing contributors. I recommend this book to everyone. Thank you so much to editors Amber Dawn and Justin Ducharm for compiling these poems that I guarantee readers will not forget.
October 25, 2019
Wish I had more stars to give
December 11, 2019
Beautiful collection of sex worker poetry and stories. Authors from various backgrounds sharing diverse stories, including some good laughs.
February 10, 2023
oh"when your daughter was nine years old they operated on her.
her surgeons were only half a decade older at most undressing her on the
makeshift operating table of a school bus floor and they say
you're not normal and we need to fix it draw their surgeon's tools from unzipped pencil cases and unzipped pants
and tell her to hold still.
she has been touched by too many doctors already to think
that she doesn't need to obey.
blessed are the merciful,
a decade later she is a corpse. handcuffed to my throat as i run
away from home
and you search for her instead.
i am newly nineteen and i have no idea that she is rotting inside me,
homeless and no health insurance and no birth certificate and no reason why
my body is falling apart cortisol so low my testosterone burns through
me like my nightmares
and bones that x-rays say are ten years older than my body is
and she is dead."
Some of the poetry is so beautiful and some of it is lame. That's how it goes with poetry. Overall, it's a very interesting and worthwhile composition of works.
her surgeons were only half a decade older at most undressing her on the
makeshift operating table of a school bus floor and they say
you're not normal and we need to fix it draw their surgeon's tools from unzipped pencil cases and unzipped pants
and tell her to hold still.
she has been touched by too many doctors already to think
that she doesn't need to obey.
blessed are the merciful,
a decade later she is a corpse. handcuffed to my throat as i run
away from home
and you search for her instead.
i am newly nineteen and i have no idea that she is rotting inside me,
homeless and no health insurance and no birth certificate and no reason why
my body is falling apart cortisol so low my testosterone burns through
me like my nightmares
and bones that x-rays say are ten years older than my body is
and she is dead."
Some of the poetry is so beautiful and some of it is lame. That's how it goes with poetry. Overall, it's a very interesting and worthwhile composition of works.
February 5, 2025
the slow, not as great bits are completely eclipsed by the fascinating and beautiful ones. so unique and i learned from every page.
aimee herman, ‘in a thing in a place where some stuff happened’:
“Have you ever worn your bones inside out,
dipped tongues over lungs to taste the weight of your breaths,
you can feel this, just close, just close your eyes
it will be over it will be over it will be over”
natalie house, ‘half-assed attempts at talking about it’:
“5. The bathroom tiles are stained red and my bed has become a crime scene, I wake up still tasting nightmares. My room is a self-inflicted jail cell I am unable to leave.
6. It is 1 a.m. and I am being carried to the backseat of the car screaming, there is blood on my face and bugs under my skin and I make eye contact with my little sister through the window as we pull out of the driveway.
7. I am so sorry, this isn’t your fault, I was soaked in sin at birth and it’s so hard to scrub clean.”
aimee herman, ‘in a thing in a place where some stuff happened’:
“Have you ever worn your bones inside out,
dipped tongues over lungs to taste the weight of your breaths,
you can feel this, just close, just close your eyes
it will be over it will be over it will be over”
natalie house, ‘half-assed attempts at talking about it’:
“5. The bathroom tiles are stained red and my bed has become a crime scene, I wake up still tasting nightmares. My room is a self-inflicted jail cell I am unable to leave.
6. It is 1 a.m. and I am being carried to the backseat of the car screaming, there is blood on my face and bugs under my skin and I make eye contact with my little sister through the window as we pull out of the driveway.
7. I am so sorry, this isn’t your fault, I was soaked in sin at birth and it’s so hard to scrub clean.”
May 27, 2024
This anthology brings awareness to many important issues and is a wonderful but difficult read. With the overarching subject being sex work, this collection covers topics such as Indigenous experiences in North America, MMIWG, 2SLGTBQIA+, BIPOC, social and political issues, homelessness, accessibility, loneliness, mental health, resilience, assault, trauma, and much more. I live in the Lower Mainland in BC and I particularly appreciated the stories from these cities. The contributors come from marginalized groups often unheard and unseen, and this volume is beautifully written from a place of vulnerability and unapologetic rawness. There were some poetry pieces which I had a hard time understanding, but that happens with any poetry collection in my experience. Overall, I enjoyed reading these narratives, and it was an insightful experience.
March 27, 2025
From Garuda Love's poem "Revival at the Pillow Talk Lounge":
"She just shimmies, shimmers
snaps her fingers-purple talons and that
tone-head thrown back, curses loosed,
seven-league heart unlaced,
frenzy in her hips,
this rapture is for God
not some recycled room in a strip club,
not this bend of the Chattahoochee-
waters writhing through red clay and dreck,
licking the club's back door, hoarding
skeletons in cement shoes,
blue girls with their pimp's names
tattooed inside their lips,
dope fiends and snitches,
failed hit men and the damned-
this is not the house of God
yet there she is.
Whipping around the pole,
back arched, heart bare-She is
the second coming,
and dear God
I believe."
Thoroughly enjoyed this anthology!!
"She just shimmies, shimmers
snaps her fingers-purple talons and that
tone-head thrown back, curses loosed,
seven-league heart unlaced,
frenzy in her hips,
this rapture is for God
not some recycled room in a strip club,
not this bend of the Chattahoochee-
waters writhing through red clay and dreck,
licking the club's back door, hoarding
skeletons in cement shoes,
blue girls with their pimp's names
tattooed inside their lips,
dope fiends and snitches,
failed hit men and the damned-
this is not the house of God
yet there she is.
Whipping around the pole,
back arched, heart bare-She is
the second coming,
and dear God
I believe."
Thoroughly enjoyed this anthology!!
April 12, 2024
As someone not into poetry, I enjoyed this. There were lots of different poetic styles and I found most of them easy to follow. I thought the writing was impactful, and more than a few had me tearing up. I really liked the first half, but I think I just spent more time with it. By the half way point I was feeling bored and ready to be done. There were still some great entries in the second half, but I was lacking the attention span to really take them in. I appreciate this collection and wouldn't have otherwise picked it up if it hadn't been featured by my library for Poetry Month.
March 2, 2025
great book, especially if you have personal stigma and biases against sex workers that you need to challenge. there are poems from a wide variety of workers which i loved, not just cis women but also men and trans people. sex work is so varied in its forms and who does it, and i loved that Hustling Verse showcased many different perspectives, experiences and forms sex work can take. it’s not all glamorous and fun, but it’s also not all misery and danger. great read for sex workers and non sex workers alike, plus amber dawn will always be one of my poetry role models so i may be biased :)
January 2, 2024
I really love and appreciate this anthology. Sex workers ARE intelligent, well-spoken, and absolutely deserve to tell their own stories/narratives. Ones I found particularly poignant: "to my clients who tell me i look tired" by Stickie Stackedhouse; all the poems included by Cassandra Blanchard; "fifth floor walk-up" by Aimee Herman; "Trauma" by Audacia Ray; "Fantasy Breakers" by Rhanimalz; and "Fucking for w33d" bu Sybillamb.com
March 20, 2020
Some of this book lacked a bit of the flow I am used to in anthologies--not all of the poems connected in the ways I expected them to--but on the whole, it is a well-written insight into the lives, thoughts, and experiences of sex workers in Canada. Definitely worth a read!
August 18, 2020
This is an exceptional collection! I loved all of the different perspectives, free of whorephobia, free of the baggage of SWERFs. There are so many talented writers in this anthology and their takes are refeshing, funny, heartbreaking and deeply insightful.
December 24, 2020
A incredible anthology that gathers a wide variety of voices, experiences, and styles. Funny, heart wrenching, wry, melancholy, or warm, each piece is deeply moving and deeply human. Highly recommended!
October 11, 2023
Read for class.
A few had me interested/left me thinking. Mostly filtered through like white noise. Not a broad range of ideas, despite the number of poems.
Also, I'm not personally the biggest fan of poetry, so there's that too.
A few had me interested/left me thinking. Mostly filtered through like white noise. Not a broad range of ideas, despite the number of poems.
Also, I'm not personally the biggest fan of poetry, so there's that too.
June 29, 2020
anthologies always have a few pieces that don't hit that much but this was overall very strong, accessible and beautiful! would recommend
September 17, 2020
As with all anthologies, not all of them were as good as others, but the best ones? Amazing. Not for the faint of heart or the weak of stomach.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews