I always say I don’t like to read poetry, but then when I read it, I really enjoy it, so I should probably stop saying I don’t like poetry.
I came across this collection by Andrea Gibson because one of my favorite podcasts, Nerdette, decided to discuss it. They had Andrea on as a guest to discuss the book, and while Andrea was there, they read a couple of their poems from the book, and I liked what I heard, so I decided to get a copy from my library.
I loved this book so much and I was so sad when it ended! I had time to read it again before it was due back at the library, and although I seriously considered rereading it right away, I decided to go ahead and return it so I could move on to other things. That said, I am very tempted to buy myself a copy of this book so I can browse through it whenever I need a pick me up.
The poems in this collection are so beautiful. They cover everything from dealing with sexual assault to weird neighbors, but it all comes down to love. In one way or another, every poem is ultimately about love, whether it be self-love, love for others, empathy for those who have hurt you, or teaching someone who has hurt someone else you care about what love really is.
Not only is the language and rhythm of these poems beautiful, but Andrea has so much love and empathy for everyone. Some more than others, but I was impressed by how much empathy they have for those who don’t deserve it. I think I want to refer back to these poems from time to time, not just to cheer myself up when I need cheering up, but to help make myself a better person. I think if more people read these poems and really took them to heart, the world would be a much better place.
So do yourself a favor and go get yourself a copy of this book right now. Everything else can wait because there is nothing more important than love.