BURN
IT DOWN Katie Byrum. Forklift Ohio Books, $14.95 paperback (112p) ISBN: 978-0990308201
Katie Byrum’s Burn it Down is an emotive collection of poems told from the
perspective of a narrator who has been pulled from the bucolic settings of
rural Kentucky by the urban lure of Brooklyn, New York. The poems concern themselves
with the soul-destroying disappointment experienced through unrequited love, or
worse still, retracted love. It is clear right from the prologue that Byrum has
a voice that is able to provoke both a visceral as well as an intellectual
reaction through a well-balanced mixture of stubborn defiance and insecure vulnerability.
whether
I will fret and go so inward only a hard shake
can
wake me, or fling myself so far into belligerence
they
have to yank me by the hair to bring me back
(From Prologue)
The bulk of the text takes place in New
York and the collection could even be described as a New York book; the sense
of place is prevalent enough to be considered a character in itself rather than
a setting or backdrop. While Kentucky isn't as heavily featured, it is ever present
as a symbol of security—a safety net to fall back on as a last resort. And it
proves to be a necessary safety net when everything in New York finally burns
to the ground.
The 112 pages of this book are split
into three sections, the first part being a more-or-less chronological account
of settling into a new life that fails to live up to the narrator's intrepid
expectations, but confirms suspicions which stem from an attenuating cynicism.
Life
in Suburbia quickly became lukewarm.
It
was Easter, and as is the custom
we
put Peeps in the microwave, watched them swell and spin
like
junior prom, seeing stars until they almost burst—
America!
(From Paradise
P4)
The second part of the book, "Year in Review," is exactly as its title suggests. All the established qualities within the first section are maintained throughout the second part - which is shorter in volume and sharper in tone. There isn't much new ground covered in terms of subject matter, but there are conclusions drawn. It would be misleading to call it a happy ending as the narrator finds herself back in the place she so desperately wanted to leave. There is, however, a level of closure and acceptance achieved. The third and final part is a single poem which retells the same story from yet another angle.
We
negotiate: we tear down walls
paint
over old colors
he
gets stronger
his
calluses come back
but
even when he comes home
he
doesn’t come home
(From Page 57)
There is a glint of mischief throughout
the collection which keeps it from becoming too heavy or depressing. These
poems contain a consistently vibrant aesthetic which Byrum uses as a romantic
backdrop for what are essentially sad poems driven by a consuming nervous
energy and an anxious introspection. Moreover, the underlying sense of tension
is soothed by the use of evocative imagery. In fact, it is Byrum’s ability to
provoke, or conjure up mental images in the reader’s imagination that makes this
collection such a relatable set of poems. The subtle descriptions of place and
strong depictions of emotional reaction, result in a wholly participatory
experience. The author exposes her own insecurities, as well as the inner
workings of both personal and societal failings throughout the narrative which
constructs the relationship between people, place and time, deconstructs it and
then rebuilds something entirely different from the various bits and pieces
left behind.
Burn
it Down has an overwhelming sense of yearning
at its core. A yearning for family, which is often
sabotaged by fear and unhealthy habits, a yearning for wholeness within an
incomplete relationship, and above all a yearning for something meaningful and
honest. Of course, the problem with honesty is its ruthless commitment to the
truth, which, in Byrum’s case, only adds to the ubiquitous sadness. (February
2015)
Reviewer bio: Matthew J. Hall is an avid
reader, writer and reviewer of fiction and poetry. His latest chapbook, Pigeons and Peace Doves, is due out June
2015 (Blood Pudding Press). Find out more about Matthew, his writing and
writing he appreciates at www.screamingwithbrevity.com.
