a rallying cry from the trenches of maternal mental illness
about the author
Bridget Bell (b. 1983) is a poet, educator, proofreader, and bartender. She teaches composition and literature at Durham Technical Community College, proofreads manuscripts for Four Way Books, and pours pints at Ponysaurus Brewery. Raised in the suburbs of Toledo, Ohio, she earned her MFA from Sarah Lawrence College. She resides in Durham, North Carolina.
She is also a survivor of postpartum depression and believes strongly in the healing power of art. All That We Ask of You Is to Always Be Happy is her debut collection.
about the book
All that We Ask of You Is to Always Be Happy is a rallying cry from the trenches of maternal mental illness: a cry for visibility, for treatment, for compassion. Mixing academic research with personal experience, these poems push back against the rosy picture society paints of motherhood and instead lay bare the raw, neglected parts: the rage, the sorrow, the confusion, the ambivalence, the tentative joy. But these lines do more than simply give voice—they weave together to create a lyrical safety net, a road map to survival.
upcoming events
Upcoming Events
- Fri, Mar 07Jupmode Production and OfficeMar 07, 2025, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PMJupmode Production and Office, 1811 Monroe St, Toledo, OH 43604, USA
- Offsite AWP ReadingFri, Mar 28Boomtown BreweryMar 28, 2025, 6:30 PM – 8:30 PMBoomtown Brewery, 700 Jackson St, Los Angeles, CA 90012, USA