from the author of the poetry collections 'how the words come' and 'the boys i've loved and the end of the world', comes a heartfelt and authentic collection of poetry and prose on learning to navigate love and all of its delights and sorrows.'shades of lovers' is a story of breaking and healing, of forgiving but not forgetting, of understanding and balance. it is not only something to enjoy, but something to learn from. here are the things i did right, and the many things i did wrong. i give them to you, so that when love comes knocking, you will have a sense of what to do when you open the door.