Building Light

by Michaela Belmont

Building Light begins with the destruction of the old self, comprised of insecurities and walls built up in response to previous trauma and pain. From the rubble a voice intertwined with tones of both disillusionment and hope soon finds sure footing and begins the climb upward, into a new life and a more authentic identity.

In Building Light anything is possible, from the darkest caves where ancient monsters lurk to watercolor skies bursting into the blinding light. It is a world in which a wooden box can command more attention than a whale taking flight, and where a loved one destroying a shining precious piece of you leads to discovering that you're filled with trillions more, like countless shining stars.

96 pages, ebook

Published August 18, 2020

Reviews

[Slmarie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poetry as a Healing Modality

This book offers a thought provoking poetic collection of vivid description that transports readers into other worlds. The author’s handle of multi-sensory writing allows readers to grasp the emotions and atmospheres being written upon, where one can actually see, feel, hear, sense, and even touch what is being described. Reader imagination swiftly meets the author’s sentiments on emotionally charged episodes carrying significant meaning to the author, allowing readers to connect and relate to the author’s unique perception in one’s own way. As readers progress through the poems, we slowly learn more about the author’s personal experiences that are otherwise expressed in more abstract thought via the poetic form. A book of deep introspection and inherent metamorphosis, readers are given the opportunity to immerse themselves within the author’s sentiments about facing one’s own darkness to find one’s own truth. Taking readers on a journey into the author’s own healing process, from abuse to trauma and heartbreak to betrayal, readers acquire a taste of wisdom gained by the lessons the author has made by breaking through such painful life experiences. Following along, we see how poetry writing serves as a healing modality for the author to acknowledge charged experiences and free trapped emotions. We learn the importance of healing ourselves with self-love rather than struggling with a dependence on the conditional love that ultimately causes more suffering for all involved. We are reminded about the pitfalls of enslaving oneself to an external need of validation from outside ourselves. The author courageously shares this emotional release for all readers to experience.

This book of poems is organized into three distinct parts, followed by an afterword that I greatly appreciated for putting more of the poems into a clearer perspective. Several poetic portions I really related to, feeling an instant connection with, while other portions left me feeling devoid of connection or comprehension. A stark and interesting contrast to feel as I continued reading further. I also felt that the collection of poems could have been better categorized to enhance the flow throughout the book. Perhaps ordering the more similar themes or forms of poems together would have helped to bring more congruency to the collection as a whole. At one point, I found myself flipping back to a previous chapter in order to make the connection that I was re-reading a previous poem written again but from a new perspective. Nonetheless, the author’s ability to express such vulnerable and traumatic states of the human experience is humbling and reminds us that even after walking the darkest road imaginable, there is always a path of healing light ready to shine our way forward.

[Hannah Barry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very solid, and incredibly vulnerable book of poetry. This is the second book from writer Michaela Belmont, and while I haven't read her first book I am sure that it is just as personal and moving as this book. Building Light has all of the emotion and beauty of a truly revitalizing and transcendental experience--one that is both heartwrenching and healing in equal measure.

What really got me was the authors' insistence on speaking her truth at the end, on sharing her story, letting her voice ring out loudly and clearly in the hopes that someone else may find in these words what Belmont fought tooth and nail for her whole life--a reason, a light, a life worth living.

Belmont indeed does find these things and encourages others to keep fighting through the hard times. Her perspective on this almost holy pause that life has given us (in the tragic form of a global pandemic) has been a moment of solace and deep work for herself that has inspired the definite shifting of growth that resulted in this book.

I don't know who Michaela Belmont is, but I'm glad I read her book of poetry and I am proud to know she exists somewhere out there in this world.

[Kaitlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This vulnerable book of poetry is a raw collection reflecting on the juxtaposition between pain and healing. Michaela Belmont’s work is deeply introspective. Much of her poetry focuses on transformation.

Belmont’s Building Light is split into three distinct parts and an afterward. Her first section focuses on growing: “Someone New” speaks to growing into a different version of yourself and “Blue Fire in the Black” covers what the author calls “moving forward backwards.” Part II is about dismantling disastrous thinking patterns, moving on, and creating identity.

Loss is a resounding theme in this work: in “Playground” the author reflects on loss of childhood, in “Glass Eye” disillusionment of dreams, and in “Into the Valley,” the destruction of the 2018 Paradise Fires. Mental health is also deeply wound into her writing — something the author elaborates on in the afterward.

It’s easy to see how Belmont’s work was therapeutic for her. This collection is vulnerable and humbling, and above all, finding light in the darkness.

[Sally Flint · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whilst this is incredibly raw in content and is clearly the outcome of a great deal of paint, it is ultimately a book of hope. There are some beautiful lines in the individual poems and it is accessible for everyone to read (including those people who claim not to like poetry.) Organised chronologically it is clear to see the different stages of the poet's pain, greif and spiritual rebirth. It is a quite powerful read. I actually also really enjoyed reading the Afterword as it answered many of the questions I asked. On a practical (and perhaps not very poetic note) it would be a useful literary exercise to ask senior students to analyse the poetry and draw conclusions about the narrator and then see how accurate those conclusions were.

[Ed Malaker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Building Light is a great book of poems that I enjoyed quite a bit. Some of the poems were very sad and most told interesting stories and had real meaning. I especially liked Lilac Over Down, Dismantling White and Black Thinking, Autumn, Once Her, and Catelyn the Bunny, but there were plenty of others I could mention. It’s too bad the author had the hard life she talks about in the Afterword, and it’s a story we all here too often. On the bright side, it turned her into a fantastic writer that I’m sure I’ll hear from again.

I recommend this book to anyone who likes poetry, or short, well written, emotional stories.

[Corrine Cassels · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hate rating poetry, since it's so subjective, but I did really enjoy this book. There were a couple lines here and there that were a bit cheesy, but again, it's poetry, so it probably was not cheesy to someone else. I love poems to facilitate healing and growth, so I really enjoyed many of these verses. The flow was a little off to me in some parts, I think I would have enjoyed it more with a bit more transition pieces. Overall I really loved the vulnerability and openness of these poems. Very lovely to read.

[Mark Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Michaela Belmont takes readers on a journey of self-discovery. Her newest book of poetry forces her audience to challenge their preconceived notions and to tear down the illusion of self. Her poems are very reminiscent of ancient Buddhist and Taoism beliefs. Readers who want to take a new, fresh approach to life and the inner self will certainly benefit from this book. Those who just want to read poetry may get a little confused. This book is more for religious enlightenment that poetic enjoyment.

[Amanda Waters · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I were going to categorize Building Light, I would call it a memoir in verse. It's a collection of poetry that shares the authors journey from intense abuse and trauma to hope and healing. The poems are poignant and raw, but not sensational. She writes in a way that is both deeply emotional and very grounded. Her words are compelling and inspiring, and I hope would inspire any reader to be more compassionate toward themselves and others.

[Ravin Maurice · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this collection of poems that the author wrote between 2017 and through the current pandemic. With lyrical words and thought provoking imagery I felt like the author did a great job sweeping the reader away.
Two stand outs for me are Moon and The Mountain but I really enjoyed the entire collection. I look forward to reading more of Belmont's work.

[Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book of poetry like no other. A survivalist story of broken pieces finding their way home to be completed. Tears of sorrow and joy for the author and their journey from childhood into adulthood, one step at a time, trying to build light to light the way for others.