Brotherful

Brotherful explores themes of grief, memory, love, and identity, with a central focus on the loss of the poet’s older brother and its lifelong impact. Through lyrical and introspective verse, Bryan Borland navigates the complexities of mourning, sibling bonds, and the ways in which personal loss shapes one’s understanding of self and relationships. The poems traverse past and present, reflecting on childhood memories, the search for connection, and the transformative power of art and love. The book also engages with broader themes of queer identity, family lineage, and the persistence of those we’ve lost in the spaces we inhabit. At its heart, Brotherful is a meditation on absence and presence-how love, even after death, continues to shape and guide us. Borland’s work, marked by raw emotional depth and a striking sense of lyricism, invites readers to consider the ways in which they hold onto and honor those who have passed. This collection stands as both an elegy and a celebration, reminding us that the echoes of those we love never fully fade.