Love and Abomination, a poetry collection exploring gay rights & the Range

Iron Range native Jacob Woods, whose public writing about growing up gay on the Iron Range is documented at his blog Good as Gay, spent January preparing a book of poems, Love and Abomination. That book will be released this week for Valentine’s Day. In addition to themes of love, Woods seeks to oppose, in his words, “bigotry, discrimination and hate” along with the constitutional ballot question prohibiting gay marriage for this fall’s election.

The official description reads, “Political poetry that rips into the souls by strumming the emotional strings of the bigoted consciousness. Touches the truth surrounding the gay and lesbian marriage debate facing the nation.”

Jacob Woods was born and raised on the Iron Range, growing up next to the mining pits on the outskirts of Hibbing where he attended most of grade school. He explored 40 acres of forest with his two older brothers. In the summers while his mother attended college to become a teacher, Jacob had spent time living with his grandma and grandpa as well as his aunt and uncle, experiences documented in his book. He shares this poem from the collection:

Macaroni and Tomato Soup

I remember one time my grandmother put leftover Mac N Cheese in tomato soup. It was disgusting and my grandfather said it tasted just fine. It’s like my grandparents forgot they lost their taste buds. I think the issue is I hide too much of what I honestly think. We live in a society that condones dishonesty and condemns honesty. That way, we can avoid our feelings. It would hurt their feelings if I told them the truth. And then they would condemn me, banishing me to hell. Over my opinions on Mac N Cheese and tomato soup. My best bet is to just shut up and eat it.

Woods now studies Creative Writing and Sociology at Hamline Univeristy. “Love and Abomination” will be available to purchase on Amazon Valentine’s day. Links will be available on the Good as Gay blog, Facebook page, and Twitter as well.

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