"Gutsy, irreverent, and tender, Nicole Santalucia is a poet of risk. In 'Because I Did Not Die, ' she peels away the protective layers behind which she could hide, and, instead, shows us the vulnerable person she is. Unflinchingly, she reveals all her flaws and failures, and through these courageous poems we are drawn into the life she has lived populated by the people she has known and loved. This book is filled with unexpected moments of humor and irony interspersed with powerful, heartfelt poems. Santalucia is an amazing poet with an incredibly strong and recognizable voice." -Maria Mazziott i Gillan