It is a assessment about this e book of poems. The writer Jennifer Kelley has a quick
biography within the e book and she or he is listed as a author (fiction and non-fiction)
and poet with a number of accomplishments.
The e book is autobiographical and written in free verse. The bodily construction of the poems is
altered at occasions within the acquainted method of poets who use free verse. The
general construction of the e book is fascinating with 3 chapters of 11 poems every
adopted by a closing chapter of 16 poems within the closing chapter for a complete of 49
poems over 107 pages.
The organizing theme of the gathering is what she has
endured and overcome in her life – together with melancholy, bipolar dysfunction, psychosis,
post-traumatic stress, grief, love and loss, and childhood epilepsy. Like most vital life experiences it isn’t a query of overcoming however recalling them over time and the
altering relationship to these reminiscences. That may result in completely different assessments and completely different feelings
– skilled with age.
The opening chapter is a intelligent James Bond metaphor
(The James Bond Collection) with childhood epilepsy as a equal of Bond’s
martini. She conveys her distinctive
state of affairs in 5 stanzas culminating in her statement that the one place she
felt distinctive as a baby was waking up in a hospital after a seizure. It was the one place that she felt fastidiously
attended to. From my coaching as a
doctor this was fascinating as a result of it additionally parallels what I used to be advised on
each pediatric and baby psychiatry rotations. Some youngsters with lots of hospital publicity
might choose the setting due to the extent of care that they obtain. The thought is developed that the one approach she
felt distinctive was because of the seizures, however later that very same feeling might be
recreated by consuming alcohol.
The poems increase questions for the reader and will result in
associations from the previous. As I learn her descriptions and imagery about her
grandmother and the lack of her grandmother – I had the speedy affiliation
to remembering my grandparents earlier that day and the same catastrophic
circumstances. However greater than that the hope that they knew the way in which I felt about
them after they had been alive. It was
completely captured on this phrasing:
“You had been all the time a spot as
properly as a girl
Do you know that?
I hope I advised you.
A million occasions over the
inexperienced polyester tablecloth,
I hope you knew.”
(p. 67-68)
There’s an fascinating ingredient of timelessness on this
expertise. Many people have aware experiences every day the place we’re emotionally
anchored in time although the occasions occurred many years in the past.
One of many duties of poets is to pay shut consideration to the
occasions of life as we move by way of them and are available out the opposite aspect. What was it like? What was discovered? Is it a shared or extra
distinctive expertise? Most of the poems are common experiences –
like being along with your grandparents if you end up a child and realizing there are
issues however you aren’t fairly positive what they’re. And later driving down the
street late at night time and pondering of how that distance out previous your lights
closes far too sluggish – then occupied with that as a metaphor.
I famous a method utilizing lead off quotes with references to
them within the physique of the poem that I had not seen earlier than. The references are each to the unique writer
and in some circumstances embrace stanzas written by that writer. For example, she opens the poem Mild utilizing
two strains by Fatima Ashgar and closes with two strains by Emily Dickinson. Between that opening and shutting was a poem
about grief and the stark distinction between all of the reminiscences of that very actual
individual and the hollowness of grieving them. Rereading that poem many occasions it’s clear the
strains by Ashgar and Dickinson had been completely used within the physique of the poem
written by Kelley.
Within the closing evaluation, it is a assortment of distinctive however
widespread experiences. The writer does a superb job of characterizing each. There’s
an implicit spirituality contained in lots of passages – her expertise in 12-step
restoration is one instance.
I not too long ago noticed a presentation on the which means of artwork and the way
it differs from different human endeavors. The presenter contended that any type of
artwork is the perceptual and aware expertise of the artist as they undergo
life. Ought to it simply be an outline or there are rhetorical parts? Is the writer attempting to influence you to
settle for a sure viewpoint about life – or will you naturally come to a
viewpoint primarily based on the creative expression.
I believed this e book of poems was a wonderful instance of the latter. Kelley describes vivid interpersonal and
emotional experiences which will or might not resonate. If not, it can improve your appreciation of
the human expertise.
Learn this e book in case you like poetry and free verse. Learn this e book in case you like stream of
consciousness writing and may relate to it at any stage. However except for the
technical points learn this poetry in case you are a pupil of human consciousness
and spirituality and the way each of these dimensions come into play when dealing
with antagonistic experiences whether or not they attain the edge of a prognosis or
not. Definitely learn this e book in case you are a psychiatrist or psychiatric trainee –
it is a glimpse into actual human expertise on the highest stage.
George Dawson, MD, DFAPA
Reference:
Jennifer Kelley. Coming to Love My Darkest Locations. Kelsay Books, American Forks, Utah. 2023. Kelsaybooks.com
