Many of us struggle not only with mental health issues but also with what to do with our war stories and battle scars once we've made it out of the trenches. Author m. j. baker (author’s capitalization) fought her way through major trials and eventually triumphed through the power of poetry, publishing the results as Damaged Interior.
Baker and her editor organized the poetry into the four seasons (starting with summer) to represent reveling, falling, living in a low place, and reemerging. The works generally read as glimpses into the author's mind at various moments rather than trying to distill the meaning of life into a grand stanza. Also, they were structured to immediately immerse the reader in each piece and conclude with a reflection.
Though I can speak about the structure of the individual poems, this is not a collection to just read random bits of; there’s a progression. The seasonal breakdown seemed almost inadequate when the tone drastically changed in Autumn. Later, I realized its aptness when I considered how miserable I become as the heat dissipates and the threat of winter looms in my face during fall and how resigned I am to hopelessness when I’m in the dead of winter with no hope of warmth in my foreseeable future. And Baker didn’t simply make me think about the seasons; she returned me to the depth of my emotions from many past experiences.
While reading, I was able to settle into the emotion the poet was focusing on because she kept her writing fairly free from details (e.g. names, specific actions), so I was never drawn to apply my own biases. While I loved that effect, I still occasionally found myself growing curious about what was happening between the glances. I wanted to know whether certain compositions spoke of the same people and situations or separate ones. Still, some of the writing was extremely clear, and those events were probably the only ones that I really needed to know. Then, the amount of tragedy packed into just a few autumnal pages, representing just a few years of the author's life, felt so heavy that it made Winter intimidating to move toward.
Regarding poetic devices, I thought this collection was rather unique. The first poem had an emotional cadence but no classical rhythm or rhyme. I initially found it odd, but it expanded my expectations without going too far. Therefore, it was actually a great way to start things. By the second poem, I started to see that the artist had a wide scope of ability in terms of style. Baker also demonstrated a creative utilization of space. She didn't go overboard, trying to paint words across the pages, but she used spacing as onomatopoeia a few times throughout the book. In general, regardless of how m. j. put the actual pieces together, the poems were full of meaning and feeling. There were times I'd read a selection less than 10 lines long and then just stare, thinking, "Dang. That [expletive]’s profound."
In case it’s not obvious, I must declare how much I loved this collection. I thought it would take a long time to read because it’s poetry, or at least because it deals with heavy topics, but it was more captivating than some novels! There were merely two editorial mishaps, and only one of them was distracting. The one thing I actually disliked was that there were no page numbers, so discussing specific pieces with the friends I plan on recommending the book to will be a bit cumbersome. Considering the copious amount of praise and almost negligible criticism I have for this digest, I am rating Damaged Interior 4 out of 4 stars.
Though I am in love with the publication, I am the second to admit that it is not suitable for all audiences (Baker is the first). Summer may be easily consumed by most parties, but things quickly get dark in Autumn. Those who are sensitive to heavy topics—including but not limited to suicide, eating disorders, and death—should consider utilizing the mental health resources on the fifth page or avoiding the book altogether. However, Baker’s confidence in Spring is invigorating, so those who are struggling with mental, emotional, neurological, or physical differences and want to read about another person making it through similar hardship could benefit from this work. The poems may also be enjoyed by those who love rocky romance stories. There are a lot of prosaic features in Damaged Interior, and I believe they will make the poetry accessible to readers who would not typically partake of lyrical works.
- Damaged InteriorBroken does not mean worthless
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Damaged Interior
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