Birth Chart

by Rachel Feder

In Birth Chart, a collection of heartfelt, ruthless poetry, Rachel Feder rethinks the relationship between astrology and motherhood. She asks, if astrology constellates the universe around the moment of one's birth, then how might it serve as shorthand for a vast number of personal experiences and cultural phenomena? How might it speak to and of friendship, motherhood, authorship, the mysteries of literary history, and the wonders of watching a child come into language? Across four sections, including a serial poem in sustained conversation with the modernist poet H.D., Feder's references range from group texts to the Talmud to ʼ90s song lyrics. In her hands--and her inimitable yet familiar, often straight-up funny voice--astrology is less a means of explaining the world than of communicating, of capturing a feeling, of sealing a bond. The result is an equally sentimental and sardonic collection in which "the language of explanation is a heart emoji. It means you know what I mean." And we do.

Genres: Poetry

120 pages, ebook

First published May 1, 2020

About the author

Rachel Feder is an assistant professor of English and literary arts at the University of Denver. Her scholarly and creative work has appeared in a range of publications including ELH, Studies in Romanticism, and a poetry chapbook from dancing girl press.

Reviews

[Bellatuscana Bellatuscana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t love it but I don’t hate it either. The writing tries really hard to be intellectual and fails in a lot of ways to make sense (namely the numerous references to certain celebrities being different astrology types) but it was okay!

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Feels written for me personally but then again my scorpio cousin gave it to me and I finished it during my baby scorps solar return SO.