Preverbal: Poems

by Carroll Beauvais

How does trauma shape us? What is memory but a flawed attempt to set the record straight so we can live with it? How do we give voice to what is mostly whispered in the dark? How do we go on?

These are the questions, and Carroll Beauvais has the answers.

The poems in Preverbal, Carroll Beauvais' debut collection, are wrought from the spit and shine of life's hardest moments. In them, the dead are as present as the living, their power increased by their absence, as they occupy the liminal space between memory and imagination, just out of reach and impossibly distant. Beauvais knows that what lies in that unreachable place beneath language needs precise words to coax it out and manifest it as something that sustains us. Her voice, taut, lyrical, and unblinking, manages this arduous and delicate task with grit and grace. Hers is a debut that demands our attention and fulfills the highest level of poetry's ambition: connection to what makes us human.

Genres: Poetry

84 pages, Paperback

Published July 1, 2025

Reviews

[katy · Rating 4 out of 5]

my favorites:

- dog river: father’s elegy
- porch light, moonlight, or the neighbor’s bedroom
- fragment from the mountain of things i’m not allowed to speak

[Caroline Laredo · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Unique Exploration of Communication Beyond Words
Preverbal is a poetic and reflective read that explores how much of human connection exists outside language. Carroll Beauvais writes with beauty and depth, though at times the abstract style can feel demanding. Still, it’s a fascinating, thought-provoking work that lingers in the mind.
I received a free advance reader copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Mollie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful, stunning (and at times heartbreaking, in a good way, because…poetry) collection by a talented poet!

[Cait's Reading Nook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Preverbal is a debut collection of poems by Carroll Beauvais that reflects upon grief, loss and trauma. The title is a reference to a book about trauma: The Body Keeps Score by Bessel van der Kolk, which states that “all trauma is preverbal.”

This collection is lyrical, descriptive, raw, and emotive as it discusses human connection and how we face hard times. It’s a collection that asks hard questions and analyzes the impact of trauma.

The collection uses a variety of poetic structures and meters throughout. I recommend this collection of poems.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Tatum · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first book of poetry that I’ve sat down and read beginning to end. Granted it was for class, but it forced me to expand my horizons and take a chance with something I wouldn’t have picked up on my own. Some of the poems in this book really spoke to me and kept me engaged while others had a less dramatic impact. I enjoyed my experience reading this book and it challenged me and made me think deeply about the work which I definitely appreciate. I think this book is the perfect introduction to poetry for someone who may be interested in the genre but unsure where to look first.