An anthology of poetry written by Nina Bhadreshwar between 1992-1996. Some of the poems were previously published in copies of The Real State magazine. They document the start of her quest and coming-of-age as she entered the fray of racial and sexual oppression in the UK and the USA. Several were also part of her correspondence with Tupac Shakur and written during those traumatic Death Row years. 'Undoubtedly, poetry was my escape valve and way of processing conflicting feelings and enormous challenges with no adult guidance at hand. These poems are special to me because this was the most frightening time of my life with so many extremes: death of my mum, my friends, depression, suicide, eating disorders, homelessness and all the trauma that comes with being a brown girl with a brain in a racist nation. It reminds me of how intense these new realities felt to me back then - whereas now they have been normalized. These poems make me realize the youth often speak more truth than the old. I was told to become less of a spacewoman but my only intention was to break out of the straitjacket.'