Glossolalia

Poetry. Finalist, Acorn-Plantos Award for People's Poetry. Recommended Read, 49th Shelf. Edmonton Journal's Favourite Book List selection. BC Books for BC Schools pick. GLOSSOLALIA is an unflinching exploration of sisterhood, motherhood, and sexuality as told in a series of poetic monologues spoken by the thirty-four polygamous wives of Joseph Smith, founder of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In Marita Dachsel's second full-length collection, the self-avowed agnostic feminist uses mid-nineteenth century Mormon America as a microcosm for the universal emotions of love, jealousy, loneliness, pride, despair, and passion. GLOSSOLALIA is an extraordinary, often funny, and deeply human examination of what it means to be a wife and a woman through the lens of religion and history.

GLOSSOLALIA is a curious, wonderful book, in which a 'self- avowed agnostic feminist uses mid-nineteenth century Mormon America as a microcosm for... universal emotions'... Dachsel's wives are less a chorus than a cacophony, a crowd of dissonant voices, each shouting to be heard above the others... But hear them, we do. The wives each emerge as distinct, aware, embodied, and it is the smallness and closeness of poetry (as well as their poet's talent) that brings them so to life.--Pickle Me This

Michael Ondaatje's Collected Works of Billy the Kid did it. Randall Maggs did it with NIGHT WORK: THE SAWCHUCK POEMS and now Marita Dachsel does it with GLOSSOLALIA. Dachsel so inhabits the characters and time of her story as to make it hyper real... Dachsel brings the same sort of vivid, intimate focus, you think you can hear the quiet breathing of these women... GLOSSOLALIA is simply riveting, it is hauntingly sad, it is a clear and articulate indictment of patriarchy and religion... If I had a rating system this book would get all my stars.--Michael Dennis' Poetry Blog

... a series of monologues from the thirty-four polygamous wives of Joseph Smith... Through poems whose form varies as much as the personalities of the women, we're let in on a myriad of secrets and insights into sisterhood, motherhood and sexuality in mid- nineteenth century Mormon America... Avoiding sentimentality Dachsel gives us a haunting collection that illuminates lives that were behind- the-scenes until now. This book is a jewel-like union of unique voices. Together they create a stunning stained glass piece soldered together into a choir of glass and light.--Canadian Poetries