Fueled by anger and the hope of healing. Written by a young poet whose spoken words lent a voice to the unheard, confusion and yearning.

Her writing really packs a punch. Heavy heavy heavy trigger warning. The material of the poems is so raw and thought provoking. Definitely interested in reading more of her material.

This was a great poetry book. I always absolutely enjoy her work and I can't wait to read more in the near future. I highly recommend it.

I'm a fan of Blythe Baird, and this book didn't disappoint at all. A powerful and raw collection about abuse, eating disorder, and homophobia that will definitely leave a mark on its readers. A must for any poetry lover.

Spoken poetry doesn't always translate well on the page and sadly, that was the case with this collection.

Tw for eating disorders
Baird’s book talks about eating disorders and.fatphobia along with the impact that it has on your mental health as a bigger person. She goes into detail about how people don’t think you have an illness when you’re a bigger size compared to when you are already skinny to begin with. It’s a tough subject to talk about because it can affect people differently and the experiences may not always look the same.

This was an incredibly powerful collection of poetry about body image and eating disorders. I wish I had had something like this as a teenager!

Did not relate to this book. I felt like there was not enough in this to arouse any sort of emotion from me.

DNF'd the book for that reason.

but thank you for accepting my request.

Powerful collection of poems addressing some tough issues around eating disorders and body image. The author gives these experiences a raw, authentic voice.

It's a hard book but it speaks honestly and powerfully about important topics such as eating disorders, sexual assault, rape culture, being a feminist, being a survivor, love, sexuality and family.

I did enjoy it, even if it took me a long time to finish it because it is not an easy read in terms of topic. I wish her poems were longer, though. I preferred her longer poems, I think she has a lot of potential and could've expanded many of her shorter poems. Sometimes they felt too simple to be a finished poem (although I just tend to have that opinion of many short poems, not just Baird's ones).

Still, this is courageous work. It is clear and direct and raw.

I actually really enjoyed this book of poetry. I don’t usually connect with poetry, but Baird’s work made me have all the feelings. I’ve never been anorexic, but I could connect a little to her experience. I’ve never been sexually assaulted or been to one of those parties where I was eye candy (thank goodness), but her experience came through. Her shortest poems were the best of the bunch for me; she really made her points well in only a few words. It may not be sophisticated poetry, but let me tell you I’m buying the book for my library.

Trigger warning for disordered eating, and sexual assault:

I absolutely fell in love with Blythe's writing in this one. As a sexual assault survivor and recovering from an eating disorder, this one hit me in all sorts of ways. Although mildly triggering, I think they are words that needed to be said.

It was an ok collection. The poems felt immature, as though the writer needs more depth of form. I do hope to read more from this poet in the future.

I’m taking you back to like 2016!DB (with long hair 😀). A friend told me I should watch a Youtube video so we sat next to each other and watched it. It was a slam poetry piece, something about economy and patriarchy and feminism. I don’t recall the title now. But that was my introduction to slam poetry (other than 22 Jump Street). And I fell in love. I loved it since it was both poetry and drama combined.

I quickly found Blythe – as she is a popular one. I loved how she took topics straight on and wasn’t about to let things lie down. She was ready to stand in front of the microphone, speaking her heart out and I was ready to sit and watch her.

My favourite poem has to be GIRL CODE 101 because it rings so true. As girls, we are expected to be kind and gracious, but boys can be rude and do what they want. We have to be demure and not speak up but boys seem to get a pass at whatever they want. Pocket-Sized Feminism is my other favourite one as the verse:

We text each other when we get home safe and it does not
occur to us that not all of our guy friends have to the do the same.

because that’s true – my friends and I do text each other, saying we’re safely home. And yes, our guy friend in the group also does that, but he has grown up with 4 sisters and he’s been in the friendship group for a long while. And we basically wait for everyone to sound off, saying they’re home safely and about to get into bed, and then we all go to bed. And does a group of (mostly) guys do this? Are they required to do this? Do they sit up in their beds and think why their friend hasn’t texted yet since they left 15 minutes ago and it takes 10 minutes by car from your house to theirs?

Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

I have no doubt that I will re-read these poems again. My favourite poems were For The Rapists Who Called Themselves Feminists and To Live In The Body Of A Survivor.

These poems cover themes such as abuse, silence, misogyny homophobia, love, rape, rape culture, and eating disorders.

The best modern poetry that I have read in a while.

I often enjoy titles from Button Poetry authors because it is an extension of the glimpse we see of them on YouTube. This book is a deep dive into Blythe Baird's world, full of difficult topics that would warrant trigger warnings, but then again, what poet doesn't use words to give voice to difficult topics on their journey to healing? Raw and candid, Baird talks about eating disorders and body image, mental health and sexual assault. If you can relate, it is gut-wrenching to see yourself in her words. If you can't relate, it still packs a punch.

Everything out by this publisher has blown me away over the years. Blythe is a wonderful addition to the alumni already making waves here.

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.