In Cancer Courts My Mother , poet LindaAnn LoSchiavo transforms the experience of caregiving, illness, and grief into a daring and deeply metaphorical poetry collection. Known for blending emotional truth with imaginative symbolism, LoSchiavo approaches cancer not through sentimentality or clinical distance, but as a persistent suitor—one that courts, seduces, and ultimately claims. In this interview, she reflects on inspiration, metaphor, craft, and the awards her work has received, offering readers insight into both the creative process and the emotional landscape behind this powerful book. In our last interview you spoke at length about how seasonal imagery fuels your creativity. How do you now find inspiration outside seasonal or genre-specific motifs? For “Cancer Courts My Mother” the inspiration was the experience of being a full-time caregiver to my terminally-ill mother. As someone deeply engaged with craft, what advice would you offer to poets who struggle with shaping perso...
The book we will be reviewing today is Cancer Courts My Mother by LindaAnn is a poetic narrative that reads like an intimate confession from a daughter who longs for her mother’s love but has spent a lifetime receiving something far more complicated. LindaAnn LoSchiavo is a contemporary poet and dramatist whose work often blends emotional truth with imaginative verse, transforming personal experiences into deeply moving art. Her other works include Always Haunted: Hallowe’en Poems, Vampire Ventures and Women Who Were Warned. Grab your copy here Written in the form of a poetry collection, it traces the journey of a daughter caring for her toxic mother after her cancer diagnosis. What stands out immediately is the striking metaphor at the heart of the book: cancer portrayed as a suitor , a figure who courts, seduces, and ultimately claims. This unusual perspective adds a haunting elegance to the subject, transforming illness into an unwanted lover who cannot be refused. L...