BLACK MOUNTAIN

A collection of verse that speaks about self-care.

There’s something elegant about the format of a poet’s chapbook—a little longer than a pamphlet, capturing a slice of life, a moment in time. Birkhead’s sprawling work is decidedly not a chapbook, as it offers scores of poems on hundreds of pages. The author uses its size to her advantage, however, to produce a powerful, wide-ranging opus that truly covers the waterfront. That being said, Birkhead’s “black mountain” isn’t meant to overwhelm readers; rather, it aims to be a place of rest and respite and a shelter from the storm. She explains the significance of the image in the title poem: “This is my friend the black mountain / No judgment or hatred from anyone else / A safe place where I can gain my strength / Just a way of taking care of myself.” There’s a delightful bait and switch here, as an image of ominous threat is transformed into a symbol of self-care. Indeed, for the author, it seems that poetry in general is about taking care of oneself, and many of the most effective pieces are about working through the pain and distress. “Borderline,” for example, opens as follows: “When my mind races / I get lost / Incessant worrying / And constant thoughts / Like a tickle inside / The anxiety kills / Focus on breathing / But I feel it still.” “Reaching Out,” too, hits similar notes: “I don’t understand / I don’t see any sores / But I’m in horrible pain / What’s going on Lord.” Pernicious, invisible suffering is one of the volume’s key themes, and Birkhead dedicates her book to “victims” and “survivors.” But in the midst of such pain, she seems to say, poetry can be “cathartic”; accordingly, this book will most appeal to readers who are struggling in the trenches but yearning to emerge onto higher ground.

A healing gift from an ambitious and thoughtful poet.