Description

Searching for Home

by Elizabeth Mateer

Searching for Home is an evocative poetry collection that explores love, loss, and the search for belonging. From tiny New York apartments to intimate moments in the desert, this collection captures the essence of human connection and celebrates the unyielding strength found in moments of vulnerability.

 

Early Praise for Searching for Home:

Searching for Home is a portal that transports readers into Elizabeth’s world, enabling them to feel the emotions she experienced in the moments she describes. Her words not only evoke her own feelings, but also resonate with other’s experiences. Through her writing, I am able to share in and feel her moments of beauty and in her moments of despair. She masterfully captures a broad spectrum of human experiences and emotions. “Two Faces and “Attachment Wounds” particularly resonate deeply with me. Take the journey with Elizabeth city to city, country to country, across her visceral experiences that we can all relate to. You’ll laugh, your breath will catch, and you’ll be taken back to a cherished memory of your own.

—Lynn Greathouse, author of Swerve

As I read through the book Searching for Home by Elizabeth Mateer, I often wonder, “When was I in New York, eating ramen, walking the streets, feeling the city’s pulse? When did I live out these memoirs?” This collection paints vivid pictures of personal experiences, emotional landscapes, and everyday settings, offering intimate glimpses into the author’s life and mind.

The opening poems set the tone, resonating deeply with me as they evoke feelings as if seeping through like a warm cup of coffee, filling me with new experiences. Particularly poignant is “Seasons of One’s First Apartment,” where the physical discomfort of a sweltering, budget strained life parallels the emotional and financial struggles of early independence. “Ramen Shop” transforms a simple meal into a symbol of connection and nostalgia. A cramped setting contrasts with the warmth of shared moments, turning ordinary experiences into cherished memories. Meanwhile, “Serendipity, postponed” explores intimacy with a mix of tenderness and restraint, capturing a vulnerable moment in time.

Each poem, distinct in voice and perspective, draws readers into contemplative spaces where personal histories and emotional truths unfold with lyrical grace. The poet’s ability to extract beauty from pain and find significance in the mundane showcases the transformative power of poetry.

— Christopher Olivas Mc Pherson, poet

About the Author

Elizabeth Mateer is a poet whose writing sinks into human relationships and the resilience of the human spirit. Originally from New York, Elizabeth’s thirst for adventure has led her to all seven continents, enriching her poetry with a global perspective. Her work is heavily influenced by her personal experiences with grief, imbuing her poems with a raw, emotional depth that resonates with readers. Elizabeth holds a Bachelor of Arts in creative writing from Hunter College. Currently working towards a PhD in clinical psychology, Elizabeth continues to explore the complexities of the mind, both through her professional work and her poetic expressions. Her poetry has been featured in the recent anthology Fractured Light and Beyond Words Literary Magazine. In addition to writing poetry, Elizabeth is also a translator and ambassador of Italian poetry for The Poetry Lighthouse. At home, she finds joy and companionship in the presence of her two beloved cats.

Find her on Instagram, @SearchingForHomePoet or her website, SearchingForHomePoet.com