Silas Denver Melvin is a young poet with a strong resolve. Resolve is tested over and over and over in this collection of autobiographical events/poems. I was hooked from the beginning and surprised by the depth of the adversity Silas dealt with based on the facts of his gender. "In the old world, before the body awakened and raptured."These words imply a non voluntary action. Silas did not choose to be awakened nor would a reasonable human being choose rapture.

However, as he moved from boy to adult this transition was forced upon him with puberty. The world demanded that he choose a traditional gender and has never stopped that...