L.A. Native, Ross Victory, has just dropped his latest poetry collection, Borderland, which offers a searing and nuanced exploration of identity, placing bisexuality at its core while drawing from a rich palette of thematic elements.
Through striking imagery and layered insights, Victory’s work not only highlights the complexities of bisexuality but also delves into other urgent topics like masculinity, race, and grief. In Borderland, the personal becomes political, and each poem invites readers to rethink the lines they draw in their own lives. This makes the collection particularly powerful as we approach National Coming Out Day, a time to reflect on how identity shapes our experience and how we can live more authentically. Only 19% of those who identify as bisexual say all or many of the important people in their lives while almost making up nearly 60% of LGBTQ+ identities. (Pew Research).
“The borderland” is a metaphor for a state of in-betweenness, but also represents transition. The throughline of Borderland lies in its exploration of contradictions—being everything but nothing and how individuals exist in multiple, sometimes conflicting worlds. This theme emerges through vivid, compelling poems like Bisexual Villain, which uses satire to frame the villainization through the story of a boy with bright eyes facing a jury of executioners—symbolizing society’s relentless judgment.
In Braveheart, Victory uses a technique called re-authoring to explore the intersection of sexuality and religion, imagining a mother who, through her faith, teaches her queer son how to love himself—reframing a narrative that wasn’t his experience but offers a vision of joyful and affirmative language. Victory also delves into more universal struggles of isolation and endurance in The Watchtower and An Elusive Mountain, where the poem’s protagonist finds themselves constantly climbing—a symbol for life’s never-ending challenges.
For artist and poet zàri olàwàlé, Borderland is a place of solace and solidarity for those who live outside traditional boundaries: “The struggles are endless and yet, at the Borderland I find solace, respite, and the encouragement of those who are not me but they feel like me. The Borderland is where every ‘misfit’ welcomes their bonafide place in the world without guilt or shame.” olàwàlé’s reflection underscores Victory’s poetic vision: Borderland is a haven for those whose identities resist simplification, where difference is celebrated rather than feared.
Other poems like Unzip utilize double entendre to navigate the realms of physical and emotional intimacy, while Honeyroom, Little Black Book, and Crescendo lean fearlessly into the visceral and sensual experiences of male bisexuality. In Honeyroom, lovers are described as dripping in honey, rich in metaphor and alliteration, while in Little Black Book, Victory reflects (or fantasizes) on romantic musings in Italy to Brazil. Crescendo, on the other hand, uses musical symbols to depict the climax of physical intimacy, with crescendo symbolizing the peak of passion and release.
In poems like Gurl Bi, Victory tackles the impact of internalized misogyny on masculinity head-on. Lines like “you cannot castrate a man who’s escaped the cave of borrowed shame” are both visceral and defiant, while the refrain, “Girl, bye,” shows no mercy in dismantling traditional notions of masculinity. Meanwhile, Confetti and Where Haters Go offer comedic relief with sharp insight, delivering moments of gratifying pettiness.
Victory hopes readers are entertained but also emotionally connect with the idea of the Borderland as an opportunity to stake their claim and reflect on the beauty of their own uniqueness. “Even if we have similar identities or intersections, how we experience life is fundamentally different. Everyone has a borderland, and within the borderland, there’s another borderland. Discovery is an ongoing process. And just because we can’t see it, doesn’t mean it does not exist.” This message aligns beautifully with the spirit of National Coming Out Day—an invitation for readers to embrace self-discovery and honor the complexity of their journeys.
Victory also emphasizes the use of natural elements—earth, fire, water, and air—to describe bisexuality. “It was important to elevate the elements because there’s online discourse that suggests bisexuality is unnatural. When we anchor these debates about duality in the elements, we can see that fire can illuminate and burn; water is vapor and rapids. Duality is natural, and as humans, we are embodiments of nature.” By grounding the conversation in nature, Victory reframes bisexuality as something inherent and omnipresent, which amplifies the majestic and empowering qualities of fluidity.
For bi+ poet Nicholas Cairns, Borderland provides much-needed validation: “The confusion, the anger, the self-doubt, and the love, the joy, attraction, and reflection take you on a journey. As a bi man, I felt seen and validated by the collection.” Cairns’ reaction is a testament to Victory’s ability to craft poems that resonate deeply with those who inhabit liminal spaces.
Victory’s poetry challenges readers to confront their own borders and question the lines they’ve drawn (or others have drawn) in their lives. In a world that simplifies the experiences of bisexual individuals and saturates the internet with clickbait, Borderland boldly demands visibility as compelling literature.
As we celebrate National Coming Out Day, Victory’s poetry collection is more than just a work of art—it’s a manifesto for living authentically, embracing contradictions, and for finding strength in vulnerability, which we all can use!
Get your copy of Borderland today!
Ross Victory is an author, music artist, and entrepreneur from Los Angeles. Best known for his memoir, Views from the Cockpit, and L.A. based horror trilogy series, Grandpa’s Cabin.
Published by: Martin De Juan
