Bereave in Yourself

Abstract

Bereave in Yourself is a collection of poetry I have written and edited over the course of the last four years. It explores my relationship with mental health, body image, identity, family, and trauma. The definition of "bereave" is to take away or to deprive of something. In my poetry I attempt to take away from events that replay over and over so as to understand them in a better light. Bereave in Yourself also touches on the somber attitude of this work, dealing with ambiguous grief when it comes to identity or estranged family members. Each section contains a group of poems that focus on these struggles, one by one until my last section in which I come to some sort of resolution. Everything is connected, from specific familial relationships to my mental health which is also reflected in body image which is all part of my identity. These poems have really helped me to know what about myself has been stuck in one place and how I can try to move forward in a more appreciative way.