Wiley shows versatility in her writing style by using lists to format some of her poems. By sharing this with us, letting us in on her unrepentant anger, Wiley gains her power back as she takes control over how her story is being told. Like confessional poetry, it feels like a secret between Wiley and us. It’s refreshing in its ability to feel like the last straw, and she’s had enough. It’s bursting with anger – giving the illusion that Wiley had been biting her tongue for too long and now she’s finally letting that fire run rampant. In poems such as “Femme Fatale” and “Revenge Body” she immediately intrigues us, teases us: “his first mistake is assuming anything I do is for male consumption, for his consumption,” pulling us into her story and her rage. The way the author jumps right into a piece, without warning, is almost shocking, but pulls her audience in.
Continuing to share stories that are uncomfortable to talk about warrants a kind of understanding, prompting more people to invite others into those parts of themselves that they may otherwise feel completely alone in. And that’s just it – confessionals are surrounded by this idea of vulnerability. Revenge Body reflects on a variety of intense psychological experiences that the author undergoes: an abusive childhood and her struggle with mental health. In its time, confessional poetry covered topics that were “not supposed to be spoken.” Stories so personal that it almost felt like you shouldn’t be reading them, like a diary. Well-known poets such as Sylvia Plath and Robert Lowell braved this era of poetry and popularized it. This kind of writing is easily comparable to a confessional – the art of exploring the self. The words just spill out of our mouths, as they do in Wiley’s poems. Therapy is just the place for tangents and rambling, as we are able to explore complex emotions freely in a productive and supportive environment. In this piece, a close friend’s suicidality is the catalyst for an impromptu therapy session. “What Brings Me in Today” fits most clearly with this intention. Little things like reheating the tea after it gets too cold or doing the dishes. Even those mindless tasks that take up our time can be completely overbearing. Following her train of thought also does a great job of showing how overwhelming life is. Wiley does an effective job of revealing this part of the human experience and, in its own right, it’s so accurate. They are random, subjective and non-linear. The endless number of thoughts and feelings we have every day can’t be summed up in a matter of sentences.
#Lovers embrace free#
Wiley uses free association and lets her inner monologue drive her work in poems like “Executive Functioning” and “Prozac 30MG.” By following this continuous stream-of-consciousness in her writing, she exemplifies how messy and complicated life can be. With a wide variety of topics, she has a little something for everybody to engage with and, even potentially, relate to on an emotional level. Something readers can appreciate about Revenge Body is the countless opportunities she extends to connect us with her work. Wiley is unapologetic in her exploration of trauma, body image, intersectionality, Black identity, sexuality and resilience. She considers the downsides and consequences that come along with that intimacy, that utter devotion and the process of having to regain self-love to claim it as her own again after having it taken from her. Each section is devoted to dissecting the author’s personal experiences, which gives us insight into her relationship with love. Wiley’s third poetry collection is broken into three parts.
She is so alive and emotionally charged we can feel her anger so intensely through the page and, at the same time, are able to reflect on our own resentments that we may have. One word comes to mind when reading her work: passion.
Wiley organizes her thoughts in a way that invites us to be enraged alongside her, while still maintaining a sense of maturity that is admirable. She speaks from the heart when revealing her truths, and she is furious.
When people in life hurt us, it brings out a rage that often can’t be contained and spills out of us. She speaks of “righteous anger” and this “undeserved forgiveness” that burns inside of her. In Revenge Body, Rachel Wiley reveals her deep-seated anger and a desire for retribution. It’s not often our words come out clearly when we’re trying to describe the pain we feel, especially when we are overwhelmed by so many conflicting emotions. Her fury is showing, glaring through the page.
0 kommentar(er)
