Tempered Edges

C.B. Mottor's Tempered Edges: A Reclamation is a searing debut that lays bare the raw edges of human experience with unflinching honesty and defiant resilience. This confessional poet's raw emotional depth is tempered by a punk-rock defiance that rejects traditional notions of femininity and obedience. Through vivid imagery and a voice that oscillates between tender vulnerability and fierce rebellion, Mottor's poems explore themes of identity, societal expectation, and personal transformation. Each piece is a fragment of lived truth, reflecting the struggle to reclaim one's authenticity in a world that demands conformity. From the biting critique of gendered norms in "MIS(S)FIT" to the aching introspection of "Worth," Mottor's work confronts the reader with questions of self-worth, belonging, and the cost of carving out a space to exist unapologetically. Mottor's style is both visceral and lyrical, blending sharp, conversational rhythms with haunting metaphors that linger long after the page is turned. Tempered Edges is not just a collection but a declaration of survival and rebirth. In "Phoenix," Mottor summons the reader to rise from the ashes of past selves, while "Ballad" and "Façade" trace the quiet courage of breaking free from toxic cycles. This chapbook is a powerful call to embrace one's strength through poetry that challenges, heals, and empowers.

A Shadow Dog Press Pocket Chapbook.