Excerpts from the Abyss: Love, Mental Illness, & Everything In-Between

by Marijah V.

Love, mental illness, and everything that occurs in-between in life when trying to cope outside of normalcy. This book is divided into three major elements: tornado, volcano, and monsoon. With vivid descriptions metaphorical to the elements in our lives that create chaos in the mind, ego, and soul, Excerpts from the Abyss braves the storm page-by-page.

74 pages, Paperback

Published June 1, 2016

About the author

Marijah V., author and musician, resides between San Diego, CA and Baltimore, MD. She has attained a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music Performance as well as a Master of Management Degree specializing in Human Resources Management, and plans to further her education in a doctoral program for General Psychology. Marijah V. also created a small non-profit organization, Mjai V.'s Worldwide Reach, that educates others about the cultural, economic, educational, and agricultural differences across the globe to create innovative solutions to make a positive difference.

Reviews

[Madeline Elsinga · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a wonderful look into mental illness and living with it from day to day. It's a quick read that held my attention, pulling me in. I felt myself relating to some of the stories about feeling depressed or loving someone who is mentally ill. It is a poignant memoir that doesn't glamorize mental illness but what it truly is to feel these things as I have even felt them. The only reason it's not a 5 star rating is each poem is written in different fonts and sizes which I found to be an interesting choice, but as a type A person I didn't care for it.
One line that stuck with me was regarding people judging and talking about you; "worry not; they speak loudly about you to silence what they feel about themselves." Thank you for the honest writing and stories.

[J.N. McGhee · Rating 5 out of 5]

For starters, I love how the poet categorizes the poems under Mother Nature’s three natural disasters. It was the first feature that caught my attention. Fearfully enough, I can relate to this poetry compilation from the beginning to the end. Also, I admire how some of poems are aligned in this book. Some are centered, left, right, justified, etc. You never know what to expect, and I LOVE IT! My favorite pieces in the Tornado section were “knock knock.”, “Broken Glass Beneath My Skin”, “Eulogy”, just to name a few. In the Volcano section, “Arson”, “Bandaid”, “no vacancy”, and others. This line here, “i want to feel you crumble beneath my fingertips…” This poem alone just resonated with me. It’s as if self was having a heart-to-heart with self. Lastly, the Monsoon section poems are “alchemy”, “she paints the night sky…”, “pinocchio”, and more. This poet is truly a kindred spirit! The reality and autonomy of her message within these pieces are epically etched into my mind. Such an imprint! Can’t wait to read more of this profound author’s work! Highly recommended read! Awesome INK!!! Snaps to you, fellow poet!

[Galya Varna · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Excerpts from the Abyss: Love, Mental Illness, & Everything In-Between” by Marijah

In her poetry book “Excerpts from the Abyss: Love, Mental Illness, & Everything In-Between” Marijah dares to speak of issues society usually shies away from.

Love, mental illness, madness, vulnerability, mental intimacy, internal conflicts, disappointments, true-self and soul searching, diversity and much more find place in her poems.

The book is symbolically divided into three major elements: tornado, volcano, and monsoon, representing the different states of the soul.

All poems are written in different fonts indicative of the different states and mood swings and I particularly liked this graphic approach of the author.

Short poems were followed by longer and more prosaic essay-like texts, reminiscent of mental patients’ verbose communication. Metaphors in the poems work very well, I think, pushing the readers out of their comfort zone.

An interesting read indeed! I would love to read more of Marijah’s books.

[Samantha Holtsclaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this to be very relatable as someone that deals with anxiety and depression. This book deserves the 5-star rating for the accurate depiction of what mental illness really is.

[Danni Connelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

While exploring this book, I wasn't sure whether I was more struck by the beauty and clarity of the poetry, or by the author's ability to give a voice to the nearly inexpressible. Each passage works on multiple levels, stirring the emotions as it engages the intellect.
As someone who struggles with anxiety and depression, many of these poems and contemplations definitely rang true for me and my experiences, and reading them helped me to feel less alone. I would especially recommend this book to anyone who has experienced mental health struggles, though I believe that any sapient being will likely find aspects of their own psyche mirrored in these profound and scintillating words.