Walks with her hands

Emily R. Johnston
Wed, 29 Apr 2026 13:46:18 PDT

The poems in 'Walks with Her Hands' reflect a female persona tracing the origins of her sexuality, as one might trace her way along a dark corridor using her hands. The persona makes this journey through exploring a range of landscapes as well as relationships with both family and lovers. In Section I, the persona comes to terms with an absent father, a failed marriage, and her experience working with other abused women. In Section II, the persona steps back in time to consider how an emotionally distant mother has further estranged the persona from her sexuality. The persona begins to find herself in Section III through romantic relationships with women. The subject of this section, however, is a controlling lover who stilts the persona's coming out experience. By Section IV, the persona has come full circle, back to the abuse theme in Section I. She enters into an abusive relationship with a different woman, but through this experience, the persona overcomes past relationships and more fully understands herself. Throughout the emotional turbulence in each section, an underlying calm exists. A steady pace, like walking, allows the reader to self-reflect alongside the persona.