The Floor of a Bathroom: poems

by Celeste Kathleen

The Floor of a Bathroom is a collection of poems that paint detailed pictures of childhood trauma, mental health, substance abuse, and domestic violence.The poems spend time naming the feelings and impacts these subjects have while working through what it means to get to the other side of them and heal. CK’s poetry has reached over 2 million viewers on TikTok who relate to honest, raw themes. CK explores these subjects through the telling of her own story and navigating the reality of coming of age as a young woman without a support system. Like many young women, during this time, she felt immense pressure to “fix” herself and turn herself into a more digestible version of who she was for the sake of others. This led to a lengthy journey in exploring the mental health system, pursuing unhealthy attachments, and unpacking the impacts of childhood on adult relationships. With brutal honesty, she puts voice to her own “crying on the floor of a bathroom moments” and makes meaning of the vulnerabilities she felt during this time period. Through blunt language and vivid imagery, The Floor of a Bathroom aims

Genres: Poetry

149 pages, Hardcover

Published October 11, 2023

Reviews

[Sarah Partridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

As Kendrick states, "poetic justice." This is the first book of poetry I have read to completion as well as purchased to own. CK is an outstandingly talented poet- an amazing collection. Had a pencil with me as I read, highlighted the lines that hit the most and there were plenty.

[Steven Finn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply, an emotional and amazing read! First poetry book I read cover to cover in total. So authentic and real. Words flowed and so heartfelt. I felt the author was confiding in me, perhaps as there’s some common life experiences. I had the privilege of being at one of her readings recently which prompted the purchase (of the book). While reading I sensed the verse style of Halsey (the recording artist) yet a distinct uniqueness given the cadence of the words and transitions. The transitional reference here applies to the thematic chapters as explained by meaning as well as the individual pieces. The rhythm of the read was such that I could easily seeing each piece being put to music. On the latter, for older audiences , music and dramatic poetry akin to The Last Poets from NYC late 1960s, early 70s tho the genre would be the personal grind to get thru and ahead of challenges vs. social justice. Anxious for more given the beauty herein. Carpe Diem

[Kapiolani · Rating 5 out of 5]

CK is hands down one of my favorite poets of this decade. Her words are so raw and heartfelt and incredible. If you hear her perform her poems or you read her poetry her voice comes through every single time. It’s raw. It’s real. It’s well-written. It’s gut-wrenching. It’s wonderful. Start to finish, phenomenal. Everyone should read this book of poetry and realize no matter what we’ve gone through, we can always keep going.

[Hannah Rubin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly phenomenal collection of poems that takes the reader through an entire arc of emotions and growth. This is a narrative where extraordinarily well-written lines seamlessly create entire poems that call for numerous rereads in the near future. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys particularly moving and emotional poetry interwoven with consecutive thematic elements.

~all opinions expressed are my own~

[Emily Corwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

CK is an amazing poet. Her words are honest, vulnerable, and cut to the core. I’ve never been happier to sob for an hour. I loved the organization of the poems. The way they told a story from childhood to the present was beautiful.

[Joslyn Lowy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t typically read poems but this is one of the best written books I’ve read to date. Highly recommend for anyone but especially women struggling to navigate this wild world.

[Jacob Losch · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first poem book and I read this cover to cover in one sitting..
emotional, captivating, and very real.