Rebellion Box - Hollay Ghadery

Hollay Ghadery's poetry collection "Rebellion Box" spoke to me in so many ways. I've recently started to read more poetry, especially the kind that's sort of a memoir in verse. This beautiful work of art definitely touches on that theme and gives us glimpses into Ghadery's life from so many scintillating angles.

The theme I most connect with is the one of mental health. I got a hint of unwanted bodily attention from "Water Safety II", one of my absolute favorites. "Runaway Universe" in many ways speaks about the restraint women face in life and the many identities they could take on, were they really free. "Drunk Dream" to me is such a beautiful celebration of being sober and taking in life in all its saturation.

It was a surprise,

waking up in a body I

hadn't been dreaming in

all I wanted to be

was less

to stare at,

a sign

for him,

not me,

that read:

Remember,

checking her pulse

is not the same as

receiving consent

and

drowning people do not

splash and shout.

-excerpt from Water Safety II

I absolutely loved Ghadery's poetry discussing some of the issues our world faces. "The Zeignarnik effect" and its indigenous comment brings me to tears. "Optical Phenomena" seemed to talk about our faltering environment and some the ignorance of the public.

Look, I see ice melting

while everyone else hops

into their cars and orders

their takeaway

and I wish

I could pretend

it's not happening too—

but I

can see ships disappear below

the horizon; can

recognize each of my children

by the way they thrash

in their sleep

-excerpt from Optical Phenomena

There are many others that ring so true, especially some of the verse on motherhood. My favorite here was "Good Mother Lizard" - it's just the sweetest testament of love for a little girl who might have done a thing out of just that same love.

The chick

is still and she touches its head, softly

says, Sorry

'til I die. It's a whisper,

an inhaled spasm as I pull her to my lap.

She nuzzles her wet cheek against my heart,

and if there's one thing I know, it's

there's no coming back from this.

-excerpt from Good Mother Lizard

A definite honorable mention goes out to "RUN", which I interpret as a humor piece that, nevertheless, has a seriousness at its core, just like most of Ghadery’s work.

Realizing I'm weeks late, we run

to the pharmacy, five minutes before closing

to buy a test. The cashier asks if we want her

to double-bag it, and you say,

No—

You say,

That's what I

should have done.

-excerpt from RUN

Thank you for this most beautiful collection. It moved my world, floating through time, in so many ways.