This book is an eloquent and strong collection of poetry that speaks on so many levels of growing up and being a female. This book covers love, self-acceptance, body-acceptance, and how to live in a world that tells you how to look and live your life. I loved that this collection of poetry addresses all of those things in a way that is easy to read but also packs quite a punch.

*I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

I love Button Poetry’s writers —and those I don’t like, I highly respect. Their rawness, their no-nonsense attitude, their points of views; when I read their words, something, at least, will make me pause. In “If My Body Could Speak”, Blythe Baird reminds me once more why that is the case. I read her book while I sat for hours in my accountant’s office, waiting to file my taxes. Despite being surrounded by a dozen strangers, I couldn’t hold back tears and chuckles; more often than not, it was a mixture of both: the laughter that crawls up the throat while tears pool in your eyes, evoking a bittersweet emotion, somewhere between happy and sad and seen. The odd looks I was given were worth it; Baird is honest, and she tackles the most difficult of topics with candid frankness. This —above every metaphor— I appreciate the most in a poet. Her poems are not just pretty words strung together, but thought-provoking declarations: they beg attention and, short or long, they have something to say.

Like most of Button’s, this is a difficult book; it tackles eating disorders, homophobia, mental health, sexual assault and complex family dynamics, among other heavy topics. I think most pieces were touching, even those I couldn’t fully relate to, because its subject matter couldn’t be applied to my life. The ones I related to spoke even louder, raw across my skin. Some lines have stayed with me, even now, weeks after I read it:

“I am trying to remind myself that
redefining my identity

does not make me a liar…”

-

“A few hours before one of my best friends raped me
on our college campus, we talked about astral projection.

He couldn’t understand why I wanted
to experience it so badly. He laughed,

Why would anyone want to leave their body?”

-

“Once, my dad informed me sexism is dead
and reminded me to always carry pepper spray

in the same breath. We accept this state of constant
fear as just another component of being a girl.”

This book is perfect for fans of contemporary spoken poetry. If you’re not sure this works for you, you can check some of Baird’s poems online (her words are even more powerful when read). Regardless, I would recommend being open-minded. Give this book, and this type of poetry, a chance. It might lack the flair and aesthetic value of older works —the rhyme and figurative language… the flowery imagery—, but it makes up for it with sharp, heartfelt sentences about current issues that affect our every day. This is our politics and our struggles made art, and I find it more important and more touching than the most beautifully composed sonnet.

Really sped through this collection! Hard hitting and genuine poetry on some serious topics.

Thank you to the publisher for providing a free e copy for review.

The collection could come under the umbrella categorisation of feminist poetry but that almost seems like doing the work a disservice. Baird’s topics are deeply personal; sexuality and homophobia, body image and eating disorders, surviving sexual assault and rape culture, all feminist issues but laid out raw and honest in their experience. While a poem may apply to a wider subject, and these may be the feelings of one woman but they speak to the reality shared by most women. The reader can feel Baird in her work and it resonates like a tuning fork.

Due to the topics and style comparisons may be drawn with amanda lovelace, and if you've previously enjoyed lovelace’s work do use that as a guide. I found, however, that Baird writes with a voice that is rich and vivid, that is accessible without pretension. Importantly for me, her poems take up space. The majority of the poems are one or two pages long, there are no pages of one or two lines that read like discarded song lyrics or Instagram stories - something I found difficult to digest with other collections. Yes, there is a little awkward use of the tab and enter key trying to match the spoken rhythm but not at all to the point of being clumsy or unreadable. In fact I had a hard time putting the collection down.

Whether you’re here for the #MeToo relevancy or simple validation that, yes, someone out there too is frustrated with skirt length dress code violations, Blythe Baird’s second collection of poems is goldust. Brief, precious, and dammit if I don’t want more.

I gave this a four out five stars. I liked these poems they made me feel a lot. I connected to a lot of these poems. If the poems are from the authors own experiences I feel for them so much.

I read this at work in-between freaking out over Mother's Day meals and unruly customers.

I am so glad I picked up this poetry book, filled with feminism and the story of someone who continues to fight what was done to her and others- and everyone whose ever been hurt.

This includes mentions of rape, anorexia, depression and other depictions of mental illness.

This was beautiful, and as a victim and aspiring survivor of assault.... These feelings were real and genuine and so full of... Something I can't describe.

Every poem was a soft blanket around my chest, even the ones that brought back horrible memories or trauma, or the ones that made me stop and think, "What should I be doing differently?"

This book made me think and want to change and for that I'm grateful.

We need more voices. We need people to speak up. We need women.

This is a place to start. I recommend this to anyone who is in the right mindset to. Take care of yourself, but if you're okay, definitely listen.

This is important. And im incredibly happy I picked it up. I adored several of these poems.

Eating disorder, sexual assault, sexuality, mental health and living within patriarchal society/rape culture - hard subjects, bravely, beautifully and forcefully tackled through spoken word/slam poetry....which also works well in written form. A difficult but important read in a format that will especially appeal to younger readers/listeners. Highly recommended.

Thanks to Netgalley and Button Poetry for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

very easy to understand what you read, unlike some other similar books!

Content which you can read easy, fast and totally relatable!!

Pick it up, definitely worth the while!

After so long I've read works that made my spine shiver. Every poem introduced you to truth and then to the various versions of those truths.
I highly recommend this to anyone who has a strong stomach and enjoys poems that make you think.

If My Body Could Speak deals with important but sensitive subject matter including; eating disorders, sexual assault, feminism and sexuality. I especially connected with the poems on eating disorders. It was interesting to read from the perspective of someone who goes from overweight to underweight. It’s sadly true that eating disorder sufferers in that situation are seen as a success story. No one thinks for one second they may have developed a problem or that they need some help.

Some of my favourite quotes from this collection are;
“We understood the many ways a mother’s shame can haunt a daughter’s body.”

“I imagined I was on an island, living off the grid in the body of a girl graced with the gift of not needing to need.”

“Watch me build an empire from the ashes of everything that tried to destroy me.”

I connected with this poetry collection with my whole heart and I am so excited to read more of this authors work.

In this collection of poems the main themes are eating disorders, anorexia and rape and the culture surrounding it. There are also poems relating to sexuality, self worth and image as well as the usual self doubts being raised too.



Utterly raw and relatable we can feel the emotion seen between the lines of each poem and I found so many of them relatable especially the ones focusing on Anorexia as I too have suffered in the past it was a true collection of heartfelt work.



Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!

I must admit that I read this book in several sittings because it was so stark and deep that I needed time to process. Women like Blythe Baird are the voice of a new generation and I cannot wait to recommend this book to friends, family, patrons, and anyone that will listen to my praise.

Big TW for rape/sexual assault,anorexia/eating disorders and homophobia

**This was an advanced reading copy from NetGalley for an honest review**

Wow…. is the only word that really comes to mind right now. In the first 12 pages i was already crying bc you can feel the emotion in her words in “When The Fat Girl Gets Skinny”and really the emotions and passion in her words throughout the whole book. This book was very powerful and has inspired to try and love myself more . I have only ever read one other thing something that has really resonated me when it come to having an eating disorder but this has really just hit the spot on that aspect of the book. Her writing style is amazing and I can't wait to get a physical copy!

Generally a good collection but there were a few poems that soured my experience with this book. I think Blythe is insanely talented, but she also actively ignores the impact her words can have on other women in society, especially queer women.

I am truly in love with this collection, I was gifted a copy of this by the author and publisher and wow I am glad I was. It's rare that a book speaks so clearly to you. I don't think I've felt that way since reading The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath in university - one of my favourite books of all time. Blythe Baird is a poet to watch, she not only bares her soul but there is also a beauty when she is describing things that are difficult.

I did not enjoy this very much, it was really boring and I almost put it down several. times. Despite the heavy subject matter it didn't feel very compelling. Maybe I was just expecting something else when I read the description.

Interesting and important subject. Well paced and connected with. Great read! Will post shortly on blog

I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Netgalley.

fantastic book. i'd definitely read other books by this author.

IF YOUR BODY COULD SPEAK
would she
forgive you?

For me, there's two way i can like a poetry book : either i will fall in love with the writing style and the rythm, or the topics addressed will resonnate with me and my experiences. With If my body could speak, it was more of the second way, and many poems in the collection were extremely relatable for me and my life experience. If not, they were nonetheless touching and even heart-breaking. Blythe Baird knows how to write poems. She seems to be able to put into words what she experiences and thinks, she turns her life into poetry and uses it as a weapon or as medicine - but in a healthy and beatiful, touching way. It turns out in intense, powerful poems that will find their way straight to your heart.

I wasn't totally in love with the writing style but i found that reading the poem out loud made them even more powerful, and i think the author wrote some more as slam poetry than written poetry, meant to be spoken and not only read.

I'm happy i discovered this brave women's work and cannot wait for another collection to come out. Thanks to NetGalley for providing me the ebook.

Thank you Button Poetry for providing an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

If My Body Could Speak is a poetry collection about sexual assault, rape, eating disorder, homophobia, and abuse. It was painful to read as each verses sucker punched my heart. Blythe's words are emotionally powerful. I applaud her strength for sharimg her experiences through poetry and I want to hug her tightly. While the collection is beautifully written and raw, it might be triggering (a warning to everyone). Two of my favorites are "Pocket-Sized Feminism" and "Horoscopes for Self-Doubt". Overall, I recommend this collection.