Chapbook selected through Charlotte Lit Press’s Spring open call and available Nov 2026!

McKenzie Teter’s Butterfly Blade is a moving coming-of-age story that follows three childhood friends as they navigate changing bodies, violent lives, and the poverty that plagues their small town. Through dauntless characters and an unflinching narrative, these poems examine the glittery, yet grim, realities of adolescence. As perspective shifts through the eyes of each girl, a world full of bruised knees, black eyes, street fairs and spoilers unfolds. This collection, equal parts sharp and tender, speaks about the homes we find in each other and how powerful bonds transcend loss.