Lost Yellow

by Nicholas Trandahl

This collection of poetry was written during dark times of my life as a form of self-medication for anxiety and depression. While I was deployed in the Middle East as a soldier in the U.S. Army these ailments overwhelmed me with such savagery that I was overcome and consumed by them. Being able to treat myself with writing and creativity kept me sane and functional when all else seemed to be spiraling out of control.

ebook

First published May 10, 2013

About the author

Nicholas Trandahl is a poet, journalist, outdoorsman, and U. S. Army veteran. He lives in Wyoming with his wife and daughters. He has had four poetry collections and a novel published. His most recent poetry collection is Mountain Song.
Trandahl’s poetry collection Bravery was the recipient of the 2019 Wyoming Writers Milestone Award, and his poem “Francis and Sistani” was nominated for the 2021 Pushcart Prize. His poems have been published or are forthcoming in various literary journals, including but not limited to the James Dickey Review, Sky Island Journal, High Plains Register, The Dewdrop, Duck Head Journal, Resurrection Magazine, Dreich Magazine, Voices de la Luna, Deep Wild Journal, Wild Roof Journal, Twenty Bellows, and anthologies from Middle Creek Publishing, Wee Sparrow Poetry Press, and the New York Quarterly.
Additionally, Trandahl serves as the Chairman of the annual Eugene V. Shea National Poetry Contest and is the poetry editor for the literary journal The Dewdrop.

Reviews

[Shannan Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I purchased this book because I met the author through an event. As I was reading about the poems, the description said that they were written during dark times of the authors life. He wrote as a form of "self-medication for anxiety and depression." (Lost Yellow by Nicholas Trandahl). This intrigued me so I just had to get the book.

The author really has a gift; a way with words. I could almost feel his pain. This collection of poems is very intense, emotional, and really reaches out and touches you. This is an excellent piece of work put together and I highly recommend it.

My favorites are C.W., Forgiveness, Can Love Heal, Above the Sun, Don't Miss the Dawn, Brittany May Loves Me and Sing me to Nothing.

This book of poetry is by far 5 stars and one that I am very happy to have in my collection.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lost Yellow A poetry collection by Nicholas Trandahl published by Swyers Publising/2013

First off I have to say, I don't usually do book reviews. I do little short goodreads reviews, but this poetry book needs it. No, it calls for it.

I discovered Nicholas Trandahl's work on Twitter and loved what I read so I purchased his first poetry book collection. Lost Yellow is a poetry book that takes a walk into the mind of a soldier in war torn Middle East. It feels as if he is alone in a forest, walking among his fellow soldiers, but devoid of feeling. He sees the horrors of war, and this in itself is difficult for any person, but as a poet and a lover of humanity, it is even harder to digest. Poets are a sensitive bunch of writers.

This poetry book also dives into depression and suicide and how PTSD has affected so many soldiers' lives. Gunshots and battle would drive most men to combat their own inner demons. Trandahl displays this with certainty and grabs the reader's attention.

Trandahl's prose delves deep into the heart of a soldier, witnessing his brothers die on the battlefield. When I fold pages in poetry books, it means I am going back to that page. It kept on happening with Lost Yellow. The first page I folded was on Regret. The following is an excerpt,

"In Hell's hot breath, storm of war.

A siren, air's ominous drum.

I abandoned you,

Oh! Comrades in Arms.

I should've stayed with you.

I should've burnt with you.

Lived and died with you."

The progression of the collection moves forward from the battlefield to his time at home after being discharged to his attempted suicide and finally to achieving some kind of inner peace within himself. However, the battle here is not on land, but within a soul. The hardest part of life is surviving it, and Trandahl explores this struggle of wanting to die versus wanting to live. Plain and simple. Yet how this can eat a person alive.

The poem Depression really stood out for me.

"I will besiege your mind,

Your intellect, your body,

And you very soul.

I will cast your shadows,

And those around you,

In a more vast profound,

Unholy glory of darkness.

I will make you forget,

All the things that once,

Brought joy to your heart.

I will force you to take pills,

Where once you were so,

So very adamant against them.

I will kill you, Nicholas.

If you give me an inch,

I will kill you.

I could not pick an excerpt, for the whole poem is spectacular. Here the poet embodies the true killer is within us. We have the power and the strength to live or die. How the mind plays with our logic, how the mind has its own terrors. I think I have read this poem at least five times. I was also in the waiting room of a doctor's office, so no-wifi, no distractions, this book had my full attention.

When I pick up a poetry book to read I want to feel the story, hear how the words sound next to each other. It's a love affair for me. There are so many folded pages here, it's going to be read over and over again. The most beautiful part of poetry is reading it over again. When a poet achieves that for a reader, there is no better accomplishment.

His style of writing is graceful and gut-wrenching at the same time. Reminiscent of Raymond Carver and Modern poets of our time.

I highly recommend you buy this book. Nicholas Trandahl also illustrated the cover. Quite a talented American poet and painter. Looking forward to his new collection.

Check out his website. www.nicholastrandahl.com

Twitter: @AuthorTrandahl

Check out his Amazon page and short story collections.http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=a9_sc_1?r...