“The perfect read for every mother.”
— Jillian Stacia, author of Set the Bone
A HISTORY OF HOLDING
POEMS ON MOTHERHOOD
Releasing November 11th, 2025.
A History of Holding explores what it means to be a human while raising one.
Described by Ashlee Gadd (Create Anyway) as “a book to savor, cling to, and gift to every mother you know,” this intimate collection captures motherhood in its full complexity—the ache of exhaustion, the wonder of small moments, and the way time bends and blurs.
From desperate search histories to dancing in a sun-kissed kitchen, each poem is a mirror, an exhale, a recognition that motherhood is not only about giving life, but learning how to hold it all: our children, our memories, ourselves.
Lyrical and unflinching, A History of Holding gives language to the beautiful and brutal work of becoming, and to the quiet truth that what we hold is never meant to stay the same.
PRAISE FOR A HISTORY OF HOLDING
“What a vivid, fearless, compassionate portrait of motherhood. Allison Mei-Li cracks her heart wide open and leaves nothing behind. This is a book to savor, cling to, and gift to every mother you know. A stunning debut.”
—ASHLEE GADD
author of Create Anyway: The Joy of Creating in the Margins of Motherhood
Look again / at the shape of my arms. / Isn’t it obvious /what they’ve held? / Can’t you tell? / They’ve cradled / a whole world.
In A History of Holding, Allison Mei-Li writes through the body—its breaking, its healing, its infinite capacity to love. She finds meaning in everyday moments: waiting in a Build-A-Bear line becomes a way to mourn, and a child’s mispronounced 'lasterday' becomes a new way to mark time. With tender precision, these poems move through the shifting identities of womanhood: the daughter, the young woman, the almost-mother, the grieving mother, the one who mothered and was remade by it. A History of Holding is not only a meditation on motherhood, but on what it means to live in a body that remembers everything. It’s a testament to what we endure, what we carry, and how hard we love.
—ISABELLE CORREA
author of Good Girl and Other Yearnings
“A History of Holding captures the raw and tender realities of becoming a mother, giving language to the experiences so many women carry just under the skin and fear they’re facing alone. This is a book of longing, grief, and joy so raw it rubs against the most tender parts of the heart. More than anything, this book offers what its title promises: the rare gift of feeling held.”
—ELISE POWERS
author of The Size of Your Joy
“Beautifully written, tender and poignant. Reading A History of Holding feels like holding a crystal of womanhood up to the light—every turn reveals a different facet. Incredibly special.”
—MICHELLE AWAD
author of Soul Trash, Space Garbage
“Allison Mei-Li has such a refreshing way of writing about motherhood. Her poems piece together the heartache, unfiltered joy, and unexplainable time-grief that comes with being a mother. You’ll walk away from this stunning collection with a fuller heart.”
—OPHELIA MONET
EIC of wildscape
"The perfect read for every mother. Allison Mei-Li finds a way to articulates the tangled web of emotions that every mother feels. This collection is a true reflection of parenthood in the modern world."
—JILLIAN STACIA
author of Set the Bone (forthcoming)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Allison Mei-Li is a writer, mother, and speech-language pathologist based in Southern California. A reader for The Turning Leaf Journal, she also hosts poetry-centered gatherings locally and online, creating spaces for story, connection, and reflection. Allison’s poems have appeared in anthologies, podcasts, and journals such as Rust & Moth, Coffee + Crumbs, MER Literary, Voicemail Poems, Ink & Marrow, wildscape, and others. A History of Holding is her debut collection.
You can reach her at allisonmwriting@gmail.com or on Instagram and Substack: @writtenbyallison
For Booksellers & Media
Review copies, press materials, and event inquiries are available upon request.
Download the official Sell Sheet (PDF) for full details.
ISBN: 979-8-9934233-0-2
Format: Paperback, 6×9 inches
Page Count: 80
Publication Date: November 11, 2025
Genre: Poetry
Publisher: Third Moon Press
For bookstore orders or interview requests, contact Allison Mei-Li at allisonmwriting@gmail.com.