Wendy Okeke’s ‘Grief’s First Kiss is an Avalanche’ hits shelves nationwide

Wendy Okeke introduced her debut poetry collection, Grief’s First Kiss is an Avalanche, in a moving virtual launch event on 1 March 2025. The gathering brought together poetry enthusiasts, writers, and supporters to celebrate a body of work that delves deeply into themes of grief, love, and memory.

The event was hosted by Kamnelechukwu Obasi, who guided a heartfelt discussion on the emotions and experiences that shaped Wendy’s poetry. In an intimate conversation, Wendy reflected on the vulnerability of sharing such personal work, explaining how poetry became her means of processing profound loss—especially the death of her father.

“I didn’t know I was writing a book,” Wendy said. “I was simply writing my memories, about endings that came too soon. And as I wrote, I realised grief isn’t just about death; it’s also about the things we let go of while still living.”

Throughout the evening, Wendy spoke about the passage of time and the evolving nature of grief. She described how it never truly fades but changes form, manifesting in unexpected moments.

“Grief is heavy,” she noted, “but it is only heavy because we have loved deeply.”

A defining moment of the event was Wendy’s reading of Yellow for My Warmth, a deeply poignant poem from the collection. Her evocative verses conveyed both sorrow and resilience, demonstrating how poetry can transform pain into something lasting and meaningful:

“Each morning, my body Lazaruses itself,
And I do not smell of his fists.”

The reading left the audience in quiet contemplation, moved by Wendy’s ability to weave personal loss into poetry.

Discussing her writing process, Wendy described how she translates raw emotions into poetic form. “I write from the body first,” she explained. “Poetry comes in sounds, in scents, in the way light touches familiar places. My poems are memories, and I wanted people to step into them, to see their own experiences reflected in mine.”

The event concluded with a reading of A Toast to a Man Who Always Lifted My Spirit, another powerful piece from the collection to great enthusiasm from the audience.

For those eager to experience her work, Grief’s First Kiss is an Avalanche is available in digital and print formats on Amazon, Selar, Roving Heights, and Page Bookstore, as well as through direct orders within Nigeria.