Her Birth by Rebecca Goss
Her Birth by Rebecca Goss
This poetry collection is heart breaking, deeply moving and beautifully done. The poems go through the birth, short life, death and aftermath of Goss’ daughter, born with a heart condition.
It describes the pain of knowing she will die, but trying to give her everything they can while she’s still there. They still need to do mundane activities like eat even with a terminally ill baby. Every illness is life threatening; hospital trips considered normal.
The most heart-breaking section is when her daughter is gone and she is a mother with no child. She can’t move on or let go, and is angry that other people don’t realise her loss or still have their children, alive and well.
It describes the barrier/distance it creates with her other relationships, mainly with her husband. Her grief, anger and overwhelming loss are always present. Even when they decide to have another child, and get to experience the joy of a healthy baby, she constantly worries she will forget her first or belittle her short life by enjoying her sister.
It’s an emotional read, and I teared up a few times (on a train, no less) but I highly recommend it. It’s beautiful, raw emotion in poem form.
Poem idea
20:133
In the attic of religion
I find my state of mind.
A polite smile that
offers no opinion,
too worried of offending,
revealing what people
you love never
realised.
Religious? No.
Unbelieving?
…No, I believe
God is like Frankenstein,
he created,
panicked,
and left us to
find our own way.
Our free will.
He created us,
but we evolved ourselves,
no one else to blame.
No one else to
turn to.
Poem 20:109
The Accidental by Ali Smith
The Accidental by Ali Smith
The first chapter I found hard to get into, but halfway through Astrid’s point of view I was hooked. The mystery of Amber was intriguing, but it was more the strong, vastly different voices of each family member and their dilemmas that drew me in.
I loved Michael’s chapter that turned into poems to describe his state of mind/activities. Each one was done perfectly.
Each character felt very human and believable, even Amber. The aftermath of her presence on each family member is brilliantly described. I particularly loved Morgan’s obsession with escalators and Michael’s hypochondriac behaviour. Even Astrid’s more upbeat attitude is shadowed with the knowledge the family is losing money.
This book makes you feel you don’t need to know more about Amber’s character, because she fully serves her purpose anyway. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed reading this.
The class for this is on point of view, and I can see why we were told to read it. Each character has a very unique point of view due to their age and experience of the world. I’m rather jealous of Ali Smith for accomplishing it so well.
Poem idea
20:132
Feed your soul,
not the physical.
Let your mouth rest
so your tongue can
forget taste, make
it magical again.
Your aching brain
will evaporate
with imagination,
embrace the
impossible
and feel
alive again.
Poem 20:120
Poem 20:131
Update
Sorry for the lack of posts. I have no excuse. I’ve been furloughed again and have had the time, just not the motivation. I have some stuff ready to put up so I’m hoping I’ll actually get the energy to do it soon.
Hope everyone is well and doing okay in this crazy, scary world of ours
Poem idea
20:131
A lake of ice separating
everything, anything.
Chip at the thick, frozen
water to form cracks, signs,
evidence you are trying.
Trapped beneath, unable to
breathe, chip, bang, struggle
to the surface…
Or, is it, in fact, you’re already
above, and chipping to
get below?
Pause, hesitate, unable to
decide. Identify where you are,
and what you need.
Perhaps this lake of ice
is the best solution.
Scribbled Thoughts 