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myloverlibrary's review
3.0
This was a pretty good introduction to Blythe Baird and I enjoyed her poems about loving women. I feel like I have to read more of her work to understand her better as a poet.
princesspersephone's review
3.0
I am so mixed on this review. There were so many poems I absolutely loved that were insightful and validating. It was very clear to me that Blythe Baird is still suffering and using poetry as an outlet for her pain. I totally applaud using poetry as a tool to recover, its a healthy outlet, and it offers us something beautiful and haunting to read. By the end however, it was also clear that she is just sitting in her pain, to the point where many of the poems almost romanticized mental illness. As an assault survivor, this was a bit triggering for me to get through, but many parts felt like she was speaking from inside of my body (like the title says). There is a necessary discomfort that is expected when reading about these heavy topics, but I found some of the poems to be pushing that boundary in the wrong direction (Vindictive maybe, but I still cant find the right word to describe it). I have so many thoughts about it that I need to sift through, but i will hold my peace until I get the chance to read it a second time though. This collection is easily made worth the purchase through the poems "Girl Code 101" "Pocket-Sized Feminism" "Skirt Steak Girls" and "I Lose My Voice During Sex"
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
cherryactually's review against another edition
4.5
real, too real, and too raw.
i absolutely adored this collection. i've been a fan of blythe baird since seeing her in button poetry, and have been following her work.
as a lesbian who is in recovery from anorexia, and also a "survivor" of sexual assault, her poetry speaks to me in so many levels. i'm very picky with my poetry, having written some myself (i was in the literary department of our university newsletter), but this collection felt genuine. there's honesty and rage. she has written lines that describe certain emotions and memories and experiences in a concrete way, like i'm reliving them. i had to space out during some parts, and my wife had to ask if i was dissociating. yes and no — i was letting the words sink in, allowing myself to feel.
thank you, blythe baird, for your beautiful words. it helped me realize things, grasp emotions, in technicolor.
i absolutely adored this collection. i've been a fan of blythe baird since seeing her in button poetry, and have been following her work.
as a lesbian who is in recovery from anorexia, and also a "survivor" of sexual assault, her poetry speaks to me in so many levels. i'm very picky with my poetry, having written some myself (i was in the literary department of our university newsletter), but this collection felt genuine. there's honesty and rage. she has written lines that describe certain emotions and memories and experiences in a concrete way, like i'm reliving them. i had to space out during some parts, and my wife had to ask if i was dissociating. yes and no — i was letting the words sink in, allowing myself to feel.
thank you, blythe baird, for your beautiful words. it helped me realize things, grasp emotions, in technicolor.
lattelibrarian's review
5.0
Wow. There was something calling out to me about this book, and I'm glad I listened. This is one of the most powerful compilations of poetry I've read in a good long time. Baird discusses, rape, sexuality, eating disorders, make-up, growing up a woman, and love. My personal favorites in this collection include "The Kindest Thing She Almost Did", "The Lesbian Reevaluates", and "Horoscopes for Self-Doubt". These and the other poems are just so articulate and beautiful. They're truly poems to behold. I cannot wait to purchase this book--be sure that you do!
Review cross-listed here!
Review cross-listed here!
alfie_reginald's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
3.25
izzy_golds04's review
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia and Rape
veecaswell's review
5.0
There is denying, whenever I see a Blythe Baird poem come up on Button Poetry, I am straight there, and this collection of poems which was recently released is certainly proof of why as she spills her words perfectly throughout If My Body Could Speak.
A personal collection of poems, it was never going to be anything less from this writer, and the words are delivered with such emotion on every page. Poems that run through different themes such as sexuality, politics and family and each one makes you think and puts you for a second in the writer’s shoes and it makes sometimes uneasy and sometimes hopeful reading.
Poems such as ‘Pocket Feminism’ resonate just as much now as they ever did in this book and poems such as ‘When The Fat Girl Gets Skinny’ make it clear why so many people have heard these words out loud as they still feel as raw on paper as they did as she performed it. ‘Lipstick’ is a short poem, but I bloody love that last line, ‘I am my own special occasion’ and I think about it everyday.
A brilliant book, it’s so good to have her work in one place so I can read it again and again.
(I received an ARC from Netgalley for review).
A personal collection of poems, it was never going to be anything less from this writer, and the words are delivered with such emotion on every page. Poems that run through different themes such as sexuality, politics and family and each one makes you think and puts you for a second in the writer’s shoes and it makes sometimes uneasy and sometimes hopeful reading.
Poems such as ‘Pocket Feminism’ resonate just as much now as they ever did in this book and poems such as ‘When The Fat Girl Gets Skinny’ make it clear why so many people have heard these words out loud as they still feel as raw on paper as they did as she performed it. ‘Lipstick’ is a short poem, but I bloody love that last line, ‘I am my own special occasion’ and I think about it everyday.
A brilliant book, it’s so good to have her work in one place so I can read it again and again.
(I received an ARC from Netgalley for review).