Sundress Reads: Review of A Woman in Progress

Barbara Marie Minney’s fourth poetry book, A Woman in Progress (Sheila-Na-Gig Editions, 2024), is unapologetically authentic, much like the author herself. Minney’s work explores the vulnerable experiences with gender, memory, love, and transformation, allowing the readers to grasp at understanding the soul of a woman’s becoming – and being – herself. From the opening poem, “No Experience Needed,” detailing a critique of her artistic credibility and paving the way for the rest of the unflinching but expansive collection, Minney makes it clear that her uniqueness “counts” for something, something that will neither apologize nor dilute the complexity of her existence.

A Woman in Progress is a memoir, an act of reclamation, and a bold assertion of identity all in one. A section that particularly stands out is:

I have lived most of my life being what others wanted me to be.
Now that I am closer to death than birth, I want to feel like I’m
living for myself. I have experienced anxiety and depression and
even contemplated suicide. I looked at suicide as a romantic way
to die. I once asked a psychic if she thought I would die by
suicide. She said no one had ever asked her that question before.
Then, she answered no, but hedged her bet by adding unless I
was ill, and the pain became overwhelming. She added that I did
not fear suicide. (Minney 25)

Despite the visceral themes of despair, mental illness, and dysphoria, Minney’s poetry is a journey reaching for light and hope, resisting collapse and even shifting power dynamics. Written in a fragmented way reflective of trauma’s nonlinear unfolding, the title poem, “A Woman in Progress,” becomes a manifesto of the reclamation of power. It opens with a male narrator cuffed to St. Andrew’s cross, nauseated by the recurring flogging and feelings of shame. As the poem concludes, the perspective shifts, and it becomes apparent that the now female narrator has taken charge, flogger in her hand. The duality and yet monologue-like fluidity of self turns the imagery of domination and submission on its head, not for spectacle but for profound metaphor.

Minney’s work is arguably the most profound and authentic when she discusses her wife, Marilyn, whom she dedicates their book to. Both “October 7, 2018” and “Tomato Sandwich” are filled with intimacy, humor, and pride. These poems are not idealized and cheesy, rather, they’re lived-in, honest, and timeless. From the “Tomato Sandwich,” the sandwich and “Eleven on the McDonald’s pickle scale” (Minney 18) become more than just humorous quirks—they become symbols of heritage, queerness, nostalgia, and a shared life.

Minney’s unrestrained method of describing her love is also reflected in her most vulnerable poems dealing with her father’s death, suicidal ideation, and mental illness. “Depression Poems,” “Psychiatrists Are (Not) for Sissies,” and “Silent Suffering” are so beautifully simple, filled with raw emotion, fear, exploration of death, and hope. In “Masochistic Murmurs,” Minney writes,

it can be to be female,

The author acknowledges that her transformation is a slow and gradual death and rebirth, perpetually stuck in a liminal space. She describes her process as: “Confused by not wanting to die / but not wanting to be here anymore either / in that void of nothingness” (Minney 30). The simplicity and bluntness of her language radiate candor.

That, precisely, sets her and this book apart. Poem after poem, Minney refuses to romanticize her journey but also refuses shame, making “A Woman in Progress” deeply human and transformation. A must-read for those seeking a deeper understanding of the transgender experience and navigating their own identity, as Minney’s title suggests, an act of continued resistance, redefinition, and radical love.

A Woman in Progress is available from Sheila-Na-Gig Editions

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Noor Chang is a writer and aspiring editor with a rich, multicultural background. Half-Syrian and half-Korean, she spent most of her life in the Middle East, specifically Syria, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates before moving to Knoxville, Tennessee, to pursue higher education. She is a student at the University of Tennessee, double majoring in English Literature and Jazz Studies. Noor’s diverse upbringing has shaped her perspective and fueled her passion for storytelling, leading her to explore a variety of creative avenues, including writing, music, and cultural exploration. An avid pianist, Noor enjoys playing music with friends and immersing herself in different genres. Her love for travel allows her to experience new cultures and she hopes to continue traveling for the rest of her life. In her free time, Noor is often found with a good book, making music, or working out to stay active and grounded.