Gray Lee

Hickory – Redhawk Publications is proud to announce the release of “Becoming,” the debut poetry chapbook by emerging poet Gray Lee (they/them). A senior English major at Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, NC, Gray will graduate in December 2025—but their creative voice has already taken flight.

An intern with Redhawk Publications, Gray distinguished themself not only through their hard work with assigned projects, but through the striking maturity and depth of their writing once it was reviewed. Redhawk’s acquisitions editor, Patty Thompson, shared, “Gray is an insightful and, at times, provocatively honest poet. Their work doesn’t just make you think—it lingers, inviting reflection long after the page is turned. That’s a rare gift, especially in a young writer. I fully expect we’ll be hearing about Gray’s writing in the years ahead.”

“Becoming” is a powerful and contemplative collection that examines identity, growth, and transformation through the lens of poetic storytelling. Drawing deeply from religious and nature imagery, the collection explores the tensions between past and future selves, and the space where growth—however painful or liberating—takes place.

“This collection is an exploration of who I am as a writer and as a human being,” Gray explains. “The collection’s title poem and all that lies before are my hopes, doubts, and experiences that have shaped me into who I am and who I will become.”

Written over four years, “Becoming” combines both early and recent work, giving readers a sense of growth and exploration. “This collection has formed on its own since I began writing,” Gray says. “It morphed my old and new writing as I grew into my own voice and gained confidence, which I think is reflected throughout the book.”

Readers who appreciate introspective poetry, layered with spiritual and natural symbolism, will be drawn to “Becoming.” As Gray puts it, the book is for “anyone who is a sucker for religious and nature imagery, can identify with the ‘monster,’ and understands the feeling of truly Becoming.”

In alignment with their values, Gray is donating a portion of the book’s proceeds to OUTRight Youth, a local nonprofit organization supporting LGBTQ+ youth in Catawba Valley.

Becoming is available through Redhawk Publications at https://tinyurl.com/GrayLeeBecoming