Razor Bumps and Stretch Marks is a rite of passage. It reflects the hazards and romance of growing up.

It also represents my journey over the past two decades or so, with a healthy dose of what I've heard and observed from those around me, fellow travelers who didn't always know I was watching.

I resisted the impulse to arrange the poems thematically, or in chronological order, a nod to life's often non-linear character. Instead, they are arranged alphabetically. That way, whenever you'd like to return to one favorite or the other, you'll know where to find it.

Look forward to hearing which verse helped make your load a little lighter.