Spellbook of Ordinary Mistakes

“Jane LeCroy is a Phenomenon, a wordsmith of one’s own heart. She stares into the abyss and comes out with precious whittled words. Find yourself lost in the magic of her lines, devour, enjoy, for poet is priest!”- -—James Browning Kepple, president of The New York Browning Society.

“This book unbuttoned me, shook my contents onto the floor, and put me back together in a new draft. Her gift is a unique understanding of what it means to be human with an absolute mastery of language and beauty— a form of worship.”
—Chondra Echert Sanchez, Saving for a Mausoleum.

“Jane LeCroy’s poetry is transcendent, grounded in the practical and real. She embraces the dark and ugly, imbues it with light, love, and beauty. Her poetry is courageous, true, full of humor, wisdom, and raw sensuality. A pioneer of love, I feel the love in every word she writes. She’s a treasure, and so is this book.” —John S. Hall, poet from King Missile.

“This book is extraordinary, easy to read, cinematic, prismatic, down to earth, sexy, alive poetry. There’s no room for pity in these daunting stories. They’re liberating claims on being— snapshots of LeCroy’s fantastical journey to be artist, human, and free.” —Animal Prufrock, queercore musician, poet, artist.

“I enjoyed these poems tremendously. LeCroy tells me about life. There’s insight in this lovely book, charm, rage, and raw honesty, but mostly wise joy— and the rain tastes like mint after reading it.” —Jennifer Michael Hecht, The Wonder Paradox: Embracing the Weirdness of Existence and the Poetry of our Lives.

“LeCroy transforms mundane missteps into lyrical incantations, exploring the magic inherent in the ordinary and the beauty that arises from imperfection exploring the questions of destination and purpose, urging readers to navigate their course amidst dragons, fog, and storms. Each poem is a spell, crafted to illuminate the hidden wisdom within and invites readers to embrace the enchantment woven into their fallibility. She explores the numbing effects of substances and experiences that offer relief while guiding the reader through indulgence, stolen pleasures, and the transient nature of abundance. This inspiring work encourages readers to reflect on their journeys, navigate the storms, savor the honeysuckle of life, and find solace in the shared human experience. It is a celebration of resilience and self-discovery, reminding us that even in our most ordinary mistakes, extraordinary magic is waiting to be discovered.” —Bernadette McComish, Florence Nightingale's Lost Log.

“In ‘Bouquet,’ LeCroy observes: ‘What we cease to carry/Carries us through/Write it down.’ She writes it down gloriously in this generous exploration of her autobiography, from the first cell that divides to the twenty-four titles in a poem of genius called ‘Possible Titles For My Autobiography’ inspired by the searing and frank manifestation of what Anais Nin previews in the epigraph ‘to find peace with exactly who and what I am.’ LeCroy has found that peace. She understands herself. She allows readers the privilege of exploring themselves with LeCroy as their guide.” —Indran Amirthanayagam, The Migrant States

“Jane is poetry. Jane is life. Jane is my favorite living poet. When I feel scared of everyone, daunted by rejection, abandoned, gaslit, alienated, and hurting, HUMAN, I find the nurturing poetry of Jane’s, and I am reminded that my own spellbook of ordinary mistakes is filled with the everyday magic that keeps a soul from being defeated in the wake of endless struggle that life is. Jane's poetry, exquisitely highlighted in this new collection, is endless solidarity with the choice of life in the face of so much death.” —Madigan Shive, Bonfire Madigan, radical queer cellist and poet Bonfire Madigan

Jane LeCroy grew up in Nyack, New York, and is a NYC-based poet, singer, performance artist, teacher, and home-birthing mother of three. Jane's work is in the permanent collections of the Smithsonian, Library of Congress, Poets House, Brooklyn Museum of Art, and Yale Library.¿Jane fronts the avant-pop band, The Icebergs, and the spontaneous experimental music project, ¿¿(Ohmslice) with Bradford Reed. She toured with the San Francisco based, all-women's poetry troupe, Sister Spit in the 1990s. Jane is a featured performer at Poetry Brothel.¿Among her many publications and recordings, her chapbook, "Names", was published by the art-book house, Booklyn, in the award-winning, ABC chapbook series, which was purchased by the Library of Congress along with her braid. Three Rooms Press published "Signature Play," a multimedia book of lyrical poems, including a nomination for a Pushcart Prize. The Icebergs and ¿¿(Ohmslice) are available everywhere you stream music. Some of these poems appear as songs on her records from The Icebergs: "Eldorado" and "Add Vice."