I've always liked writing, but it took me a while to get into poetry. Considering the size of this book, you can probably tell I'm a lot more enthusiastic about it now. I'm not a great writer, but I figure this is a good way to learn. This book is basically an abstract kind of diary and my self-inflicted writing homework all wrapped up into one big package. I don't do a lot of editing initially, but I randomly go back and change minor things about my old poems sometimes. So if you like a poem as is, you may want to say something, so I just write another version of it, you know?
As to the structure of this book, most of the poems are in the order that I wrote them in. As I go through different phases, my style and focus kind of shifts. Some of it's happy, some of it's introspective, some of it is bitter or depressing. That's kind of how it works. There's a couple repeating themes, but I wouldn't say that you have to read this all in order. I'd actually discourage that. Some of my poems suck, especially early on. Feel free to skip around, and give feedback or whatever. I write for me, but I publish this stuff to see what people think. So, feel free to call me out on mistakes I make, or things you catch.
Thank you. That's all.
I'm posting this looking for some feedback. Any constructive criticism will be greatly appreciated.
Writing has always provided me with solace, by helping me to sort through and frame my emotional experience. During one of the more difficult times in my life--recognizing a toxic marriage and leaving--I used writing to understand what was happening. The poems, short stories, and essays here reflect my fragmented journey toward mental health. Works of art, they are not. However, I hope they can help others with their own journeys, even if only to provide comfort in knowing that they are not alone. Trigger Warning: The following includes depictions of suicidal thoughts, depression, and anxiety.