“Spill” in Jessica John’s How Not To Spill can be interpreted two ways. More literally, many of the poems hold themes of water, containment, and movement. Family is also a prominent theme and these personal poems all depended on an internal negotiation, determining how much to “spill”. In John’s poem, “Nehiyaw Iskwewak”, she writes of her family, “all i want is to make this / a future / they would recognize”.