The Self Is an Ocean (DarkWinter Press, 2026)

Cypher’s The Self Is an Ocean is a vulnerable, gut-wrenching, and heart-filling debut of a poetry collection. Having read some of Cypher’s work before reading this collection, I knew how honest and personal her writing is. Still, I was not prepared for how deep she brings us into her history—experiences both painful and joyous—and it was an honor to be invited there.