“soft-skinned” by Waverly Vernon (me) is out now!!!
Published by Bottlecap Press, soft-skinned peels back the gauze of myth to expose the raw pulse beneath faith, decay, and desire.
These poems dismantle the arrogance of divinity—dragging theology, mortality, and meaning into the same dim light to see what survives.
From the certainty of decomposition to the quiet dignity of a flower’s final days, the book moves through dirt and dust, through the false comfort of gods, toward the truth of biology.
It asks what remains when our symbols rot, when holiness dulls, when the body becomes both offering and aftermath.
In its refusal to look away, there’s a kind of reverence— not for heaven, but for the dirt that feeds what comes next.
Endless gratitude to @bottlecappress for their care, intention, respect, and faith in this work. They saw my vision and executed everything from the editing, to the book cover, to making each copy by hand with incredible care. Craig, you’re amazing!
Anthology of Eleos 