I'll Leave a Light On for You

Poems

by William Bortz

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Pub Date Aug 04 2026 | Archive Date Aug 03 2026

Central Avenue Publishing | Central Avenue Poetry

Poetry & Verse

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Description

I'll Leave a Light On for You is a meditation on what it means to hold on—to a moment, to a person, to a memory—while knowing that we are continuously changing.

In I’ll Leave a Light On for You, William Bortz weaves a haunting yet hopeful collection of poems that explore the body’s relationship with joy and grief. From breakage, “This body is meant to break and from its shell light will pour out”—to coming back together—“two hands from two bodies placed / on top of one another creates a home”, Bortz captures the lingering trauma, but also the persistence of hope and resiliency.

Advance Praise

Praise for The Grief We’re Given

“With their quiet intensity and graceful questioning, these verses will pull you inside yourself and out into mysterious communal joy.” — Christine Jewel, author of Fading Through

“A luminous and consistently breathtaking exploration of grief, Bortz’s stunningly crafted writing will stay with you long after its final exhale.” — Blake Auden, author of Murmuration

“The imagery is tangible; the metaphors are breathtaking. The depth of this collection makes it one worth reading again and again.” — Davis John Patton, singer/songwriter