POETRY, ADOPTION, AUTISM, and ABUSE: The myriad facets of author Theresa Werba

Local Author Talk, Phoenixville Library, Thursday May 16th 6:30 PM https://ccls.libcal.com/calendar/Phoenixville/theresa-werba

Theresa Werba is a regular contributor at the Phoenixville Library’s bi-annual Open Mic for Writers. Theresa will be reading from her fourth book of poetry entitled What Was and Is: Formal Poetry and Free Verse, unique collection of the best of Theresa Werba’s work over the last forty years. In it she explores such diverse issues as love, loss, faith, disillusionment, neurodivergence, historical figures and events, and the creative process. She is able to skillfully render such poetic forms as the sonnet, villanelle, ode, pantoum, terza rima, and nonce forms, in addition to easily crossing over into the world of free verse. She thus bridges the gap between these two normally opposing and segregated schools of poetry. Theresa will also share highlights from her book When Adoption Fails: Abuse, Autism, and the Search for My Identity. Theresa, who was an undiagnosed autistic adoptee, endured an abusive adoptive home, several identity changes, a disinheritance, and the discovery of her biological mother and father. She also will share from her book Warning Signs of Abuse: Get Out Early and Stay Free Forever, in which she writes to help women identify the warning signs of abuse early on in a relationship and provides information and encouragement for getting out and staying out.