Turning Forty

What if getting older was just a permission slip to say yes to a rich human experience?

Turning Forty is a collection of poems that'll have you feeling so seen entering a brand new season of womanhood. From pop culture to deeply personal, Gloria Herdt's second poetry book hits with emotional precision. It's a vibrant celebration of a milestone birthday complete with the fear, frustration, and deep reflection that comes with a second coming-of-age season.

Success. 

Beauty. 

Money.

Love.

Innocence. 

Purpose-all of it takes on new meaning and there's a letting go of pretending-striving for perfection.

A welcoming of womanhood that honors the body, feels more like the truth.

Nostalgia pulls on present awareness. Memories of birthday cakes and playing little mermaid live alongside old versions of Instagram and Sex and The City. Adulthood promised to have the answers, but choosing whether to have children or change careers, how to make enough money and preserve our beauty, makes turning forty feel like swimming against the current. 

Diving in might be the only answer. Exploring the relationship to mother. Questioning motivation, the obsession with money and success. Connecting to the body and playing with expression. Embracing the full spectrum of emotion in this rich human experience. Riding jet skis and going surfing for the first time (even if it's terrifying at first). Giggling with lovers and friends. Crying over cake, poems, and rainbows. Relaxing into creativity and a simple night on the couch with the dog, watching the Great British Baking Show.

Another year older might not be so bad after all.