Neon: A Collection of Poems

When Madeleine Woods graduates from the University of Wisconsin with a BA, she temporarily moves to Burlington, Vermont—a time and a place that will grow in unexpected significance to her as she pens words to describe it.

Glimmering with life, Neon presents her memoir in the form of forty-six poems that capture her rhythm as a dancer and her exquisite word choice as a singer-songwriter. While some poems tackle more serious topics such as racism and body image, others offer a more lighthearted look at everyday experiences—“sittin to see / sittin to hear / sittin just for the / goddarned dang nabbity / cursed cooling pleasure / the joy of / just sittin / here.”

A must-read for fans of Emily Dickinson—who was as playful as she was insightful—and lovers of modern poetry alike, Neon also serves as an inspiration to young women who want to challenge the mainstream ideas about gender and beauty.

Enter a brisk New England day and catch a glimpse of the world through the eyes of Madeleine Woods, a young woman willing to dream of big things—you won’t regret it.