I remember the first time I ever heard a slam poem piece; it was also the longest I had ever held my breath. I had been writing since I learned how to put pen to paper but slam… slam poetry is something different. For a lot of people, writing is a cathartic process. For me, it is complicated: part of me hurts while writing and the other part has never felt more free. Another part feels guilty for feeling these things, the other parts sit silent, letting my thoughts run quickly. I picked Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo because I missed having poetry on my mind, and remembered what it was like to hear it for the first time.
Poet X is about Xiomara, a young high schooler who writes about her experiences with religion, sexuality, family, and love. What’s special about this book is that it is entirely written in prose. I found it really easy to relate to the emotions that she writes about. Struggling with her own sense of self, especially, at such a young age is something that I think everyone can relate to. At the heart of this book, aside from Xiomara discovering her voice in poetry, she also redisovers and redefines her relationships with her family members. Her Dominican culture shapes the way she sees her world: her mother’s connection to Christianity, her brother’s hidden sexuality, and her father’s former personality prior to coming to the United States.
This speaks to the way that culture inexplicably finds itself rooted in every aspect of your life… how you choose to live your life through its intricacies.
I loved the story itself and found that it was written very well. I do think that this book is meant for a younger audience and that it would have resonated deeply with a younger version of Aishwarya, one that was discovering these same aspects of myself. While a majority of the poems were good, some I felt lacked the depth that the others displayed. There is more to poetry than just pretty words on a page; there is a certain level of weight that these poems should hold. While the book held that weight, some poems truly excelled. I also really loved how the book made me think about my own set of circumstances. I have struggled understanding how I fit into my life with regards to religion, sexuality, culture, etc. The book grapples with a plethora of themes very well and showcases how it’s really okay to not have all the answers yet.
Poet X is the perfect read for those wanting to dive into poetry but not knowing where to start. It left me feeling nostalgic for the past and hopeful for the future, let us know what you think down in the comments or on our instagram.