Book

A softly lit room with an open window, beige curtains, a white chair with a straw hat hanging on it, a nightstand with various items, and a mirror on the wall.

Full Moon of Afraid
and Craving

(McGill-Queen’s
University Press, 2022)

Illustration of a sperm cell with the moon as the head, black background, and text that reads 'Full Moon of Fear and Craving' and 'Melanie Power'.

A playful examination
of the charged dynamic between home and abroad, between anxiety and desire.

“Heartbreaking and hilarious, this is an impressively accomplished first book, wise beyond its years.”

– Stephanie Bolster, author of Long Exposure

Full Moon of Afraid and Craving

☽◯☾

Full Moon of Afraid and Craving ☽◯☾

A small, rectangular window with a wooden frame, surrounded by dark, textured wall. Green vines partially cover the window, with light shining through the leaves.

“… [There] is an incantatory power in many of these poems … I’ll remember [this book] for Melanie Power’s endearing candour, wise-self-effacement, and for the subtle music.”

- David B. Hickey for The Antigonish Review

“Full Moon of Afraid and Craving is like a dreamy, atmospheric stroll through time and memory, reflecting on the different pieces which make up a life, from the snacks you are, the clothes you wore, the desires you had, and the places you lived. Power’s poems are beautiful little slices of the past, finding core memories in an array of corners, from the memorable to the mundane. A strong debut.”

- Alison Manley for The Miramichi Reader

Multiple fish with shiny, silver scales laid out on a black mesh surface, arranged in rows.

“Melanie Power’s debut collection of poems has layers. Like a decadent cake that makes you laugh, salivate, then sing in awe at the passage of time. Like Aubrey Plaza’s acting - you’ll never know if she really means what she says. But that’s half the fun. The other half is exquisite craft. From odes to processed food to a birthday party attended by past selves, it’s OK to let the easy reading fool you - in no time you’ll be craving more, buying a six-pack of Vachon’s ½ Moon just because of poetry."

- Carlos A. Pittella for Quebec Summer Reads

“There is something unerringly honest about these poems that doesn’t so much make one want to cling to the thing being observed, as revel in the briefest glimpses of these treasures caught and rendered with impeccable care—and just as quickly—released into air.”

– Sina Queyras, author of My Ariel