Hello Wonderful Readers,

I’m writing to you with some equally wonderful news. The Intimacy Journal has just been funded on Kickstarter! We’ve accomplished this in just 12 days. What a glorious day this is. Thank you so much for being here. Thank you for supporting my work. Thank you for encouraging me and indulging me in bringing this beautiful project to life. It has truly been an honor to steward these poems and birth this book. I can’t wait for many more of you to get your hands on a copy!

To celebrate you all and help spread the word, I’m gifting you a free chapter of the journal today. When I’ve discussed the book in workshops, many people are intrigued by the chapter on “Deviance.” This makes me smile. It’s a cheeky testament to the human spirit, I guess, to want to go deeper and get curious about our true nature. Loving all parts of who we are. So, without further ado, please click here to download the “Deviance” chapter.

What is the origin story of the “Deviance” chapter? 🌅

I originally had the poem “Rendezvous” by Edna St. Vincent Millay for this chapter. I liked that the poem mentioned perversion and coming, but when I tested out the poem in a sex writing workshop, ultimately, I found the language in it a little inaccessible. Meanwhile, I also got some reader feedback on the first draft of the journal, and I decided to write a little bio for each poet I featured. That’s when things got interesting.

I already had another poem by Amy Lowell in the book (“Summer Rain” for the chapter on Safety). And soon after searching for a new poem for Deviance, I found her poem, “The Weather-Cock Points South.” I loved the vivid imagery in it, especially the beautiful idea of someone parting you from your leaves. This poem resonated with me even more when I discovered that modern scholars view it as a celebration of lesbian sexuality. I then learned that Amy Lowell lived openly with her partner, Ada Dwyer Russell. This poem was published in 1921, and among others by Angelina Weld Grimké, this was a time when same-sex relationships and expressions of love were totally forbidden. I thought about just how much these women had risked to live a lifestyle that was true to them. Amy Lowell, in particular, reminded me to stand up for myself and not give a f**k about what other people think. So, I topped her poem off with an introductory quip from Dorothy Parker, and created the chapter you see today in its current form.

According to the Oxford Languages Dictionary, Deviance is “the fact or state of departing from usual or accepted standards, especially in social or sexual behavior.” It’s juicy and delicious, isn’t it? I think it’s something I’d like to explore and delve deeper into in the future. While this poem is kind and feminine, I wonder what it would be like to introduce a poem and prompts that might focus more on even more taboo BDSM activities, kinks, etc. Still, for now, I am grateful to share Amy Lowell’s work and guide the reader through a more gentle and nurturing introduction to these more playful aspects of ourselves.

What do you think of the poem and the prompts? Is there a different question you wished I had asked? What does Deviance mean to you?

Please also enjoy the audiobook segment of the chapter.

Sending love to you all! We did it!

Tash

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Free Chapter: Deviance 😈