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The forest is a mother is a witch is a womb.
Here, the trees hold impossible magic; their roots are a haunted house, a spiral, a three-knock ritual on the fairy-tale door. When you wander into its arms, it's important to surrender: eat the apple but protect your name. The darkness will only choke you faster if you try to resist.
Beneath the spellwork and the silence of these woods, you'll find poetry that acts as a portal. Kearns births a unique blend of whispered silhouettes and blood-soaked runes, her words the screams of audible drownings. Inspired by themes of motherhood, witchcraft, and the divine feminine, this collection dissects, rebuilds, and unleashes a vision of female empowerment and beauty, all while embracing the shadow and savoring the scars of a prolonged death.
This collection is an homage to the flickering light in a cave, to the introspection of our bodies, and the astrology of the mind. Unable to look away, readers will confront the mirror of grief and madness, unpack the crystal-laden tears of confronted family lineages, and walk down uncharted paths of forged hope and connection. Proceed softly, dream carefully, and if you get to the end, make sure you thank the spirits for keeping you alive.
Praise
"Feminist, bold, and witchy...an antidote to our troubled times. Shannon Kearns' writing kept me spellbound, and I devoured this book in one sitting."-Jessica Drake-Thomas, Elgin-Award nominated author of Burials and Bad Omens
"Kearns refers to skin as a 'tender labyrinth' and that also happens to be the perfect phrase to describe this stunning collection. At the entrance to every poem, there is the raw legacy of art, blood, power, and unspeakable grief. Every labyrinth needs its minotaur. At the center of this collection is the mother as an archetype commanding that these stories of pain be revised (again and again) into something magic and something more. These are poems you will love getting lost in." -Kailey Tedesco, author of MOTHERDEVIL
"Shannon Kearns' collection is a lush invitation to wander forests and whisper secrets to the earth. With gripping themes of identity, motherhood, and spirit, each poem offers up a striking honesty that is impossible to look away from. The beautiful balance of body horror with delicate, sensuous descriptions is enchanting." -Sara Tantlinger, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of The Devil's Dreamland
"These poems are not simply words on the page: They are the roots of ancient trees ready to catch your ankle. They are the mist rising from a dark wood. They are the ghosts that follow you home. Transcendent, evocative, and wrenchingly raw, Shannon Kearns has woven an impossible web of life, death, and the moments in between." -Liz Worth, author of Inside Every Dream, a Raging Sea
Here, the trees hold impossible magic; their roots are a haunted house, a spiral, a three-knock ritual on the fairy-tale door. When you wander into its arms, it's important to surrender: eat the apple but protect your name. The darkness will only choke you faster if you try to resist.
Beneath the spellwork and the silence of these woods, you'll find poetry that acts as a portal. Kearns births a unique blend of whispered silhouettes and blood-soaked runes, her words the screams of audible drownings. Inspired by themes of motherhood, witchcraft, and the divine feminine, this collection dissects, rebuilds, and unleashes a vision of female empowerment and beauty, all while embracing the shadow and savoring the scars of a prolonged death.
This collection is an homage to the flickering light in a cave, to the introspection of our bodies, and the astrology of the mind. Unable to look away, readers will confront the mirror of grief and madness, unpack the crystal-laden tears of confronted family lineages, and walk down uncharted paths of forged hope and connection. Proceed softly, dream carefully, and if you get to the end, make sure you thank the spirits for keeping you alive.
Praise
"Feminist, bold, and witchy...an antidote to our troubled times. Shannon Kearns' writing kept me spellbound, and I devoured this book in one sitting."-Jessica Drake-Thomas, Elgin-Award nominated author of Burials and Bad Omens
"Kearns refers to skin as a 'tender labyrinth' and that also happens to be the perfect phrase to describe this stunning collection. At the entrance to every poem, there is the raw legacy of art, blood, power, and unspeakable grief. Every labyrinth needs its minotaur. At the center of this collection is the mother as an archetype commanding that these stories of pain be revised (again and again) into something magic and something more. These are poems you will love getting lost in." -Kailey Tedesco, author of MOTHERDEVIL
"Shannon Kearns' collection is a lush invitation to wander forests and whisper secrets to the earth. With gripping themes of identity, motherhood, and spirit, each poem offers up a striking honesty that is impossible to look away from. The beautiful balance of body horror with delicate, sensuous descriptions is enchanting." -Sara Tantlinger, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of The Devil's Dreamland
"These poems are not simply words on the page: They are the roots of ancient trees ready to catch your ankle. They are the mist rising from a dark wood. They are the ghosts that follow you home. Transcendent, evocative, and wrenchingly raw, Shannon Kearns has woven an impossible web of life, death, and the moments in between." -Liz Worth, author of Inside Every Dream, a Raging Sea
ABOUT ME
My name is Shannon Kearns, and I am writer of poetry and fiction, as well as an abstract painter. My creative journey began when I started my MFA program at Western Connecticut State University. During my time there, I became enamored with the speculative and horror genres, particularly works of fiction and poetry written by women. In my time studying with my mentor, Stephanie M. Wytovich, I honed my poetic voice. My thesis became my first poetry collection, entitled The Uterus is an Impossible Forest, published with Raw Dog Screaming Press in August of 2025. It also received the title of "Thesis of Distinction" from Western Connecticut State University. I am so grateful to have worked with the fantastic mentors and staff at WCSU to draw me into the forest of my own creative depths.
My short story, "The Fawn," was a semifinalist for the American Literary Review prize in short fiction. I'm also very grateful that my writing has been supported by the Yale Writers Workshop and SAFTA (Sundress Academy for the Arts) where I was awarded a residency in 2026.
In addition to my first poetry collection, I have also published a young adult novel entitled Girl in Shadows (Nymeria Publishing, 2021), and I have several poems and short stories that have appeared in numerous journals and anthologies. (For a full list, please see the Publications tab. Please note that many of these writings are published under my previous name, Shannon Marzella).
When I am not writing, I teach writing and literature at Sacred Heart University. I also have a passion for art, and I've dedicated my creative practice not only to writing, but also to abstract painting with my wonderful mentor, Heather Neilson. I am a member of both Washington Arts Association in Washington, CT and the Society of Creative Arts of Newtown. Please see my Paintings tab for a sample of my work.
My short story, "The Fawn," was a semifinalist for the American Literary Review prize in short fiction. I'm also very grateful that my writing has been supported by the Yale Writers Workshop and SAFTA (Sundress Academy for the Arts) where I was awarded a residency in 2026.
In addition to my first poetry collection, I have also published a young adult novel entitled Girl in Shadows (Nymeria Publishing, 2021), and I have several poems and short stories that have appeared in numerous journals and anthologies. (For a full list, please see the Publications tab. Please note that many of these writings are published under my previous name, Shannon Marzella).
When I am not writing, I teach writing and literature at Sacred Heart University. I also have a passion for art, and I've dedicated my creative practice not only to writing, but also to abstract painting with my wonderful mentor, Heather Neilson. I am a member of both Washington Arts Association in Washington, CT and the Society of Creative Arts of Newtown. Please see my Paintings tab for a sample of my work.