In this debut collection, what am i afraid of, Leslie gives language to the fears we learn to bury-anxieties that hum beneath the surface, the ache of loss, the weight of loneliness, the restlessness of a mind that won't slow down, the endless spiral of overthinking. These poems speak plainly about thoughts many consider taboo, or believe they must carry alone, illuminating what so often lives in the dark.
With tenderness and honesty, Leslie's work does not seek to resolve fear, but to sit with it-giving it purpose, shape, and voice. Rather than offering easy answers, the book opens a space where dread, doubt, longing, and self-reckoning can be named without shame. Her hope is simple: that readers recognize themselves in these pages and feel less isolated in what they experience.
Blending evocative poetry with striking photography and fine line illustrations, what am i afraid of creates an intimate, reflective reading experience-part art object, part confidant. The visual elements deepen the emotional terrain of the poems, echoing their silences and intensifying their revelations. Each page becomes a small room you can step into: a moment to pause, breathe, and meet the work-and the parts of yourself you're still learning to name.
At its core, what am i afraid of is a companion for anyone living with anxiety, grief, or the quiet pressure of unspoken thoughts. It honors the complexity of inner life: how fear can be both a warning and a story we tell, how loneliness can sharpen perception, how naming the unsayable can soften its hold. These poems do not demand transformation; they offer recognition. And in that recognition, they offer relief-the sense that even the most private spirals have a language, and that language can become a kind of light.
Papp, Leslie: - Leslie Papp is an award-winning poet living in Grand Rapids, Michigan, whose work is rooted in community, collaboration, and a lifelong devotion to language. She began writing as a pre-teen growing up in central Illinois, where poetry first became both a refuge and a way of paying close attention to the world around her. That early passion has since grown into a creative practice that spans poetry, songwriting, and arts advocacy.Leslie's poems have been widely shared and celebrated on community social media platforms, where her work resonates for its emotional clarity, musicality, and human warmth. In addition to poetry she is a lyricist and songwriter blending poetic craft with contemporary music.Deeply committed to nurturing young voices, Leslie spent more than fifteen years volunteering with youth theatre programs, supporting creativity and self expression in the next generation of artists. She continues to serve her local literary community as a member of the Poet Laureate Committee at the Grand Rapids Public Library and as an active member of the Grand River Poetry Collective.Whether on the page, the stage, or in collaboration, Leslie's work reflects a belief in art as a connection-and in words as a living, shared experience.
