This book uses poetry and essays to share how welfare reform has affected the lives of a group of female adult literacy students from western Massachusetts. After a brief explanation of the book's purpose, the women who presented their views in the book's poems and essays are profiled. Presented next are six poems that several of the women wrote to share their views on males' stereotypes of women and the difficulties of coping with welfare reform. The essay "A Day in the Life" gives a glimpse into the daily life of one woman who is trying to attend literacy classes while navigating the welfare system and also caring for her children. "How Has Welfare Reform Affected Your Life?" presents some of the women's responses in interviews focusing on general and specific aspects of welfare reform, the relationship of education to welfare reform and employment, and welfare reform's impacts on recipients' emotions and family. "What Helps You Keep Going?" and "What Do You Recommend? What Would Help You To Meet Your Goals?" focus on strategies for coping with the difficulties of meeting the requirements imposed by welfare reform. "Learning Tools--The Tree and Carolyn Hicks" describes two tools used by the women. (MN)