A History of Holding: Poems on Motherhood - Paperback

by Allison Mei-Li (Author)

A Bookshop.org Bookseller Poetry Pick for Women's History Month, 2026

"This is a book to savor, cling to, and gift to every mother you know. A stunning debut."

-Ashlee Gadd, author of Create Anyway

A History of Holding is an intimate poetry collection exploring motherhood as both a physical and emotional transformation-where love expands alongside exhaustion, grief, and awe. Moving through pregnancy, birth, and early parenthood, Allison Mei-Li traces the tension between holding on and letting go: of time, identity, and a child who is always becoming someone new. With poems grounded in everyday moments-from late-night Google searches to sun-drenched kitchens-Mei-Li offers a tender, clear-eyed portrait of motherhood as it is lived.