Friday, November 2, 2018

Book Review

Let's talk about poetry, shall we? It's a topic that's been more active in my life lately, a change from writing one down a few times a year as they come to me. Isn't it funny how things come to you once you start thinking about them more?

Recently a fantastic young writer named Marlo Smith reached out to me about potentially reviewing a book of poems and I'm so glad about that, because this is exactly the type of writing I enjoy the most. Situations, time, and perhaps even fate bring people together who understand one another's experiences and I feel like the universe dropped this super meaningful book of poetry into my lap just at the right time.

The book is called Drugs Are Cheaper Than Therapy and can be found in print and e-book form. The author can also be found here on Instagram

Click on the images below or the links here to check it out!                          

buy from: Amazon | B & N





       Every now and then, for everyone and especially those of us dealing with mental health issues, it's vital to have your perspective checked, seeing a situation in a different way, and being able to relate to someone else's experience. For me, when it comes to the darkness of mental illness, it's important to keep a small level of mindfulness as you make your way through to brighter days instead of just trudging along with blinders on. There is beauty in how an artistic soul can put their experience into words, art, and music, even though it came from an unhappy source. There's a beauty in being able to put it down on paper and into the world, letting go of what feels like a secret, and being able to look back on it later and be happy at how far you've come.

       I was about seventeen when I realized making art to deal with the dark emotions and experiences I was having was what really got me to produce amazing art, and it allowed me to look at my struggles in a different way. Not as positive experiences, but valuable as experiences and beautiful in their own way. What really helped me in this, and what Drugs Are Cheaper Than Therapy strongly reminded me of in a beautiful way, was reading The Darkest Garden by Michael G. Stone. It was sent to me as an early PDF copy by the author in an email. At the time my depression was preventing me from doing things I loved, namely reading as much and being able to concentrate, but having the book in digital form meant that I could open it up again on my laptop every now and then while browsing when I felt particularly miserable and read bits at a time that gave me incredible perspective.

       Reading this now, six years later, I'm again connected to that point where I can gain perspective and be awed by how usually negative and stigmatic topics can be sculpted into such beautiful poems. The writing in this book touches on raw and powerful subjects like depression, love, loss and prejudice in a way that makes you feel as though the writer is speaking directly to you, not just thoughts on a page. It's an incredibly powerful message and really my favorite kind of poetry.

"I wanna find time in the day to appreciate the sky
But looking up as the clouds move makes me jealous
I want to be that free
And flow that easy..."

       It's not just the content of the poems that I love, it's also the placement of the poems on the page, shorter poems put together on the same page but on opposite sides, facing one another and complementary. The progression of the book tells a story, not in a direct timeline but with all the poems invoking the same emotions.

       If you enjoy poetry and books of guaranteed thought-provoking and powerfully emotive moments, I really suggest you pick up a copy of this book. The fantastic thing about books of poems is that they aren't meant to be consumed in one sitting. Having a book of moments encapsulated in a few paragraphs means a journey taken in small steps- a few poems read by a window on a rainy afternoon and pausing to reflect while watching the rain, another read on the train or bus home and causing you to look up and consider the people around you, how different their thoughts may be. 

       Unlike fiction or fantasy genres, a book of poems tells a story by giving you small snapshots of one thing- whether it's a lifespan, an emotion, a secret, a season. It forces you to read and process the  book differently, and as we know, going out of your comfort zone a little is good for personal growth.
I find often that reading poetry gives me perspective, either knowing that I'm not the only one thinking along an unusual train of thought, or in contrast knowing other people see things differently and will have different ideas and answers. 


       I hope you enjoyed my thoughts on this book! Thanks for reading.


2 comments:

yogageek said...

This sounds like an interesting book. I have read some poetry, but it has not been my go-to for pleasure reading. I have found that I have recently been drawn to some poetry in processing grief. It's true that you can just read one poem and let it sit with you for a while, which can be comforting.
Thanks for posting this review.
Julie
treeoflifeyogamontrose.com

Earthboundstars said...

I'm glad poetry has been helping you lately! I think sometimes books find us at the right time. Thanks for your thoughtful comment!