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ANIMAL by Patricia Grisafi

Paperback book, 62 pages

Cover Art by Tucker Jameson

Animal explores the depths of self-reflection through a coalescence of opposing forces, a confessional display of raw tenderness that blooms through a violent wilderness. These poems are open wounds that unveil memories & their ghosts, offering gifts of hard won wisdom and visceral clarity to carry into the present. In this debut collection, Grisafi unveils beauty found in the darkest niches of the self & reveals a reclamation of the animal that howls within us.

“This is where the skin hisses,

Song on the underbelly of an arm.

A fine fruit blooms slowly, carved

For lack of a lovelier surface

Here where everything stirs.”

from “Skins”

BLOOD IMAGERY

SOY WAX CANDLE BY MARVEL + MOON

Immerse yourself in the purifying dance of flames as the scent of ichor-liker copper, patchouli, & humid asphalt after a cleansing rain intertwines, creating a mesmerizing symphony that transforms your space. Inspired by Patricia Grisafi's opening poem, "The Bargain," this candle hints at “what lives in the post and lintel-- / the genius or the blood / a breath or the bargain?" This unique blend of notes--earth, blood, water--is a tribute to the ancient art of cleansing by fire, a ritual that transcends time and space as much of Grisafi's Animal is about retribution and healing. Allow the warm glow and earthy notes to envelop you, purifying not just the air, but also the energy around you. Ignite and let the transformative power of fire bring a sense of renewal.

Scent notes: Copper. Ozone. Asphalt. Patchouli. Cypress. Vetiver. Rain. 

Adornments: Rose petals and copper foil.

ACCOLADES

“‘Am I the monster or the seeker,’ Patricia Grisafi asks in Animal, her extraordinary bestiary filled with women who bite like dogs, freak show mermaids, and men with hair like wolves. She emerges with no easy answers as she explores ransacked crime scenes, psychiatric wards, the haunted side streets of Florence, with each step revealing the lines between human and beast to be increasingly fictitious. There is lightness here too, but Grisafi refuses to hand out hope to her readers like treats to a pet, instead rewarding them with the wisdom she’s gained from traversing the darkest reaches of the soul and looking dead in the eye creatures few would have the courage to face. Each poem is a gift, a beautiful burst of bioluminescence shining out of the blackest waters.”

— Sarah Bridgins, author of Death and Exes

“In this brilliant, lyrical haunted house ride to the point of no return, Patricia Grisafi takes us on a swift, knife-sharp investigation of everything from the far reaches of creativity and the erotics of the archive to captivity narratives and trauma metaphysics. Grisafi is David Lynch meets Anne Sexton, and when she asks to be made into a book when she dies, I think it’s best that we obey her.”

— Caroline Hagood, author of Making Maxine’s Baby and Weird Girls

“Patricia Grisafi’s Animal is the body on display, raw and vulnerable for all to see. Each poem is a gut-punch, a wounded deer, a sacred space for a secret so intimate the reader feels like they’re peering into a survivor’s journal without permission. ‘The bruise on your leg is not a trophy,’ the speaker says, frequently dishing out these brief but harsh realities that make you crawl inward and clutch your own heart. Grisafi isn’t concerned with mountains or moonscapes, but rather finding beauty in the darkest places – even when there seems to be no light.”

— Lauren Milici, author of Sad Sexy Catholic

"Patricia Grisafi’s terrific Animal is sharp as a razor. These poems capture what happens when you don’t abandon ship. This haunting book basks in aftermaths."

— Tomás Q. Morín, author of Machete and Let Me Count The Ways

"Animal is a raw, bleeding wound, a collection that fans of Anne Sexton and Ottessa Moshfegh will turn to again and again."

— Stephanie M. Wytovich, author of Brothel and On the Subject of Blackberries

PATRICIA GRISAFI

Patricia Grisafi, PhD, is a freelance culture writer and essayist. She is the author of Breaking Down Plath (Jossey-Bass), a literary companion on Sylvia Plath for middle and high school students. She lives in New York City with her husband, two children, and two rescue dogs. This is her first poetry collection.