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Sweet, Young, & Worried
Sweet, Young, & Worried is the highly anticipated sophomore collection by author Blythe Baird
Following her widely successful debut, Baird wastes no time as she reels in her reader with breathtaking imagery and punching narratives. With expert precision and vulnerability, Baird guides us on an expedition embracing queerness, love, loss, mental health, feminism & healing along the way.
Following her widely successful debut, Baird wastes no time as she reels in her reader with breathtaking imagery and punching narratives. With expert precision and vulnerability, Baird guides us on an expedition embracing queerness, love, loss, mental health, feminism & healing along the way.
110 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 29, 2022
20 people are currently reading
3098 people want to read
About the author
Blythe Baird
6 books378 followersBlythe Baird is an actress, poet, and feminist. In 2014, she represented Chicago as the youngest competitor at the National Poetry Slam. In 2015, she returned to NPS representing the Twin Cities Unified team.
Her work has been published or featured by The Huffington Post, Ashton Kutcher, A-Plus, Write Bloody, EverydayFeminism, Button Poetry, Chicago Literati, Banango Street, and Wicked Banshee, among others. She is currently studying creative writing, women’s studies, and ASL at Hamline University in St. Paul, MN.
With three nominations at the ICFF including Best Picture, Baird takes on the role of Stephen Baldwin’s daughter in Auslynn Films 2015 indie feature “The UnMiracle.”
In the past year, Baird’s poetry has gone viral on the internet. Her poem “Girl Code 101” has been utilized in academic lesson plans across the globe, featured in Occidental College’s updated “The Vagina Monologues,” and holds the state title for Poetry Interpretation at Colorado’s national speech tournament.
Her work has been published or featured by The Huffington Post, Ashton Kutcher, A-Plus, Write Bloody, EverydayFeminism, Button Poetry, Chicago Literati, Banango Street, and Wicked Banshee, among others. She is currently studying creative writing, women’s studies, and ASL at Hamline University in St. Paul, MN.
With three nominations at the ICFF including Best Picture, Baird takes on the role of Stephen Baldwin’s daughter in Auslynn Films 2015 indie feature “The UnMiracle.”
In the past year, Baird’s poetry has gone viral on the internet. Her poem “Girl Code 101” has been utilized in academic lesson plans across the globe, featured in Occidental College’s updated “The Vagina Monologues,” and holds the state title for Poetry Interpretation at Colorado’s national speech tournament.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 140 reviews
October 7, 2022
-Disclaimer: I won this book for free through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.-
"I am hypnotized by being young & fiercely inconvenienced by logic".
A lot of the book dealt with eating disorder recovery & mental illness. I picked it up for the pieces on sexuality, which were few. The book felt like it was more about telling what happened with random keywords (rather than an artistic approach). Just wasn't my style. All-in-all, the collection didn't hold much value for me.
"I am hypnotized by being young & fiercely inconvenienced by logic".
A lot of the book dealt with eating disorder recovery & mental illness. I picked it up for the pieces on sexuality, which were few. The book felt like it was more about telling what happened with random keywords (rather than an artistic approach). Just wasn't my style. All-in-all, the collection didn't hold much value for me.
February 21, 2024
"I love all of her, even if
there are aspects of myself
she still has no desire
to learn how to love."
there are aspects of myself
she still has no desire
to learn how to love."
November 6, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and Button Poetry for accepting me as a reviewer.
TW: this collection deals with many topics but a considerable part involved eating disorders, mental illness, suicidal thoughts, and self harm among others - but they come from a place of personal trauma and I would say worth reading Baird’s experiences.
I don’t know if I would say I necessarily enjoyed this poetry collection due to the nature of the themes discussed which were quite hard to read. Also some are a little too abstract for me to personally get my head around and others are a bit similar. However, I did feel they all had a lot of meaning, coming from the heart and so you feel an emotive response. There are many snippets and whole poems that really stood out to me and certain points I could relate to too. I’d say if people (and I know this to be true from reading some other reviews) can relate to experiences, thoughts and feelings mentioned then they do impact you a lot and this was a great way for Baird to release her trauma of going through these situations in her life. She guides us through this journey of embracing who she is (queerness, love, loss, femininity, etc) and the vulnerability but also power of healing along the way.
The collection is split into three parts; the first dealing with her going through traumatic events in her life and ‘becoming an emergency’, the second (I think the most impactful) where she is pining for the ‘splinters of improvement’ in her life, and the third (my favourite as it was the most pleasant reading experience) where she’s imaging a better future and entering ‘a place we haven’t been to yet’. - the ‘’ are the titles of each section and they are very well executed for what poems are contained in them.
Some of my most impactful parts of poems are below:
‘We obsess over shame (the most
useless emotion I can think of).’
‘instead, we sang only of the joys, the pastel weekends, & the good things that must live in a place we haven't been to yet.’
‘Of all the things this world
has taught her to apologize for,
I am jealous that love has
never been one of them.’
- this one really spoke to me as she is talking about how her friend’s mum explained sexually to her as a child but Baird herself had to deal with coming to terms with her sexuality on her own and other homophobic dynamics within her life.
‘it is one thing
to want help
and another
to have the
language
to ask for it.’
And my personal favourite as it really spoke to this idea of self hatred in a sense, I’m not entirely sure of how one is supposed to interpret it but for me it is this notion of focusing on one’s worse qualities and bad things more than the good and Yhh… very impactful. But then again someone else might see something else in these words which is a great thing about poetry in its relativity (not always but usually):
‘why did I not
allow myself
to clutch the
shooting stars
of my happiness
as tightly as the
dissolving sea
of my griet?
why is there so
little evidence
of all the nights
I felt iridescent?’
TW: this collection deals with many topics but a considerable part involved eating disorders, mental illness, suicidal thoughts, and self harm among others - but they come from a place of personal trauma and I would say worth reading Baird’s experiences.
I don’t know if I would say I necessarily enjoyed this poetry collection due to the nature of the themes discussed which were quite hard to read. Also some are a little too abstract for me to personally get my head around and others are a bit similar. However, I did feel they all had a lot of meaning, coming from the heart and so you feel an emotive response. There are many snippets and whole poems that really stood out to me and certain points I could relate to too. I’d say if people (and I know this to be true from reading some other reviews) can relate to experiences, thoughts and feelings mentioned then they do impact you a lot and this was a great way for Baird to release her trauma of going through these situations in her life. She guides us through this journey of embracing who she is (queerness, love, loss, femininity, etc) and the vulnerability but also power of healing along the way.
The collection is split into three parts; the first dealing with her going through traumatic events in her life and ‘becoming an emergency’, the second (I think the most impactful) where she is pining for the ‘splinters of improvement’ in her life, and the third (my favourite as it was the most pleasant reading experience) where she’s imaging a better future and entering ‘a place we haven’t been to yet’. - the ‘’ are the titles of each section and they are very well executed for what poems are contained in them.
Some of my most impactful parts of poems are below:
‘We obsess over shame (the most
useless emotion I can think of).’
‘instead, we sang only of the joys, the pastel weekends, & the good things that must live in a place we haven't been to yet.’
‘Of all the things this world
has taught her to apologize for,
I am jealous that love has
never been one of them.’
- this one really spoke to me as she is talking about how her friend’s mum explained sexually to her as a child but Baird herself had to deal with coming to terms with her sexuality on her own and other homophobic dynamics within her life.
‘it is one thing
to want help
and another
to have the
language
to ask for it.’
And my personal favourite as it really spoke to this idea of self hatred in a sense, I’m not entirely sure of how one is supposed to interpret it but for me it is this notion of focusing on one’s worse qualities and bad things more than the good and Yhh… very impactful. But then again someone else might see something else in these words which is a great thing about poetry in its relativity (not always but usually):
‘why did I not
allow myself
to clutch the
shooting stars
of my happiness
as tightly as the
dissolving sea
of my griet?
why is there so
little evidence
of all the nights
I felt iridescent?’
Read
December 30, 2022An extremely raw and powerful take on the past, present, and future. These poems will tear you apart, but put you back together with the glimpse of hope they display.
The topics discussed are extremely heavy and sensitive, be aware going into this.
Thank you Button Poetry for the advanced reader copy!
The topics discussed are extremely heavy and sensitive, be aware going into this.
Thank you Button Poetry for the advanced reader copy!
May 30, 2024
'We joked about suicide so oftern it became difficult to tell the difference between a punchline and a promise.'
July 9, 2024
Didn't quite enjoy this as much as her first collection personally, but still a great collection!
January 8, 2026
I’m for sure one of these things, debatable on the other two.
November 17, 2022
*Thanks to NetGalley and Button Poetry for the chance to read and review this book*
TW: Eating disorders, self harm.
I don't read lot of poetry. I've always loved words though, and the way they flow. Much of Baird's poetry reads like short, aural stories that flow like water or are smooth like stone. I particularly enjoyed parts 1 and 2, in which Baird delves deeply into personal material and exposes the truth and core of who she is.
Despite its deeply personal nature, I found fragments of myself reflected in these poems.
I appreciated the opportunity to feel that this collection presented.
TW: Eating disorders, self harm.
I don't read lot of poetry. I've always loved words though, and the way they flow. Much of Baird's poetry reads like short, aural stories that flow like water or are smooth like stone. I particularly enjoyed parts 1 and 2, in which Baird delves deeply into personal material and exposes the truth and core of who she is.
Despite its deeply personal nature, I found fragments of myself reflected in these poems.
I appreciated the opportunity to feel that this collection presented.
June 2, 2023
unenjoyable, I could feel the emotion and what she was saying. But I didn’t read poetry, I read a rant, with no real thoughts behind the words or writing. I would’ve liked this book if I was maybe 12.
August 18, 2022
I read this book in less than an hour. I sped through it and absolutely couldn't get enough of it. I actually preordered it from Button Poetry and then won a free copy in a Goodreads giveaway, but that one hasn't come yet. I have never been this glad to own two copies of a book. OMG.
Blythe Baird is hands down my favorite modern poet. I thought I had never read a book better than her earlier If My Body Could Speak, but she managed to write another one that surpassed it. I am simply in awe. The only adequate description I could give of it (and there is no way I could ever do it justice) is that it ravaged my spirit (in the best possible way) and tore me to shreds only to piece me back together like a worn, beloved quilt at the very end.
The book is organized into three sections. The first details the devastation that was her teenagehood/high school years. It is heart-wrenching and dives into the nitty-gritty of mental illness. The second section shows her struggling to climb out of that hole. And the third is somewhat of her healing, albeit not linear. As I said, it tears you down and then builds you back up. Magnificent.
I recommend this book to those who enjoy poetry, especially slam poetry. Go look her up on YouTube and watch her videos! Some of the popular videos on the Button Poetry channel are even featured in this book.
Helloooooo why are you still reading this??? Go look those videos up!! (as long as you're in an okay emotional place)
Back to the book: I got very triggered by her earlier book, even though I enjoyed it immensely. This book I found less triggering, but that might be the point in time in which I read it. Don't read it if you're actively struggling with your mental health; it might not be the best time to read about triggering mental illness related topics. But maybe you'd find it cathartic. Who knows? You do you. Just check my trigger warnings first.
Trigger Warnings
Eating disorders
Body dysmorphia
Suicidality/suicide attempt
Domestic violence
Mental illness
Substances
Homophobia
Sexual assault
Blythe Baird is hands down my favorite modern poet. I thought I had never read a book better than her earlier If My Body Could Speak, but she managed to write another one that surpassed it. I am simply in awe. The only adequate description I could give of it (and there is no way I could ever do it justice) is that it ravaged my spirit (in the best possible way) and tore me to shreds only to piece me back together like a worn, beloved quilt at the very end.
The book is organized into three sections. The first details the devastation that was her teenagehood/high school years. It is heart-wrenching and dives into the nitty-gritty of mental illness. The second section shows her struggling to climb out of that hole. And the third is somewhat of her healing, albeit not linear. As I said, it tears you down and then builds you back up. Magnificent.
I recommend this book to those who enjoy poetry, especially slam poetry. Go look her up on YouTube and watch her videos! Some of the popular videos on the Button Poetry channel are even featured in this book.
Helloooooo why are you still reading this??? Go look those videos up!! (as long as you're in an okay emotional place)
Back to the book: I got very triggered by her earlier book, even though I enjoyed it immensely. This book I found less triggering, but that might be the point in time in which I read it. Don't read it if you're actively struggling with your mental health; it might not be the best time to read about triggering mental illness related topics. But maybe you'd find it cathartic. Who knows? You do you. Just check my trigger warnings first.
Trigger Warnings
Eating disorders
Body dysmorphia
Suicidality/suicide attempt
Domestic violence
Mental illness
Substances
Homophobia
Sexual assault
January 19, 2023
I read this with tears in my eyes and a pit in my belly. I felt the fire of anger, the comfort of not being alone, the pain of trauma and the indescribable feeling of hope. I read this and felt a part of me heal and for that I cannot thank Blythe enough. I first discovered her in the depths of my sickness and her poetry keeps me going during the healing.
Note: TW: mental illness, suicide, ED, SV, pregnancy, abortion, sexuality. Please be cautious if you read this.
Note: TW: mental illness, suicide, ED, SV, pregnancy, abortion, sexuality. Please be cautious if you read this.
February 7, 2023
This was quite a heavy read and I feel kind of uncomfortable rating this book because it's so autobiographic - the author put into words many painful experiences she went through while growing up. The book offers a painful, raw insight into a lot of heavy topics we don't talk about nearly enough. But at the same time it's really awe inspiring - all the perseverance, the search for self, the hope. Sadly the writing style didn't really resonate with me though, especially at the beginning of the book, but luckily later on I found some parts that I really liked. I think a bit younger, teenage me would like this book much more than I do now, especially that first part. Give this a go if you like heart-wrenching poems in a spoken poetry style.
October 23, 2022
I enjoyed this collection of poetry. A few in particular I adored such as Endling, The Nights I Felt Iridescent, What If I Cared For My Body and Guilt Doesn’t Live Here Anymore.
I would like to read more work from this author.
A perfect book for any readers who are after a quick, easy and light read, and enjoy poetry.
I would like to read more work from this author.
A perfect book for any readers who are after a quick, easy and light read, and enjoy poetry.
October 16, 2022
Thank you NetGalley and button poetry for access to this e-ARC.
This is a stunning book of poetry that hits all the right notes - raw, inspiring and captivating. Blythe has a way of putting very hard emotions and situations into beautiful words.
I can’t wait to read more of her work!
This is a stunning book of poetry that hits all the right notes - raw, inspiring and captivating. Blythe has a way of putting very hard emotions and situations into beautiful words.
I can’t wait to read more of her work!
December 29, 2022
"The body I threw stones at
is the same body
who is still determined to write love letters to me."
I am a big fan of Blythe Bairds poetry and this collection didn't disappoint me.
I already knew that a few poems will include heavy topics and there were a few poems after which I needed a moment to collect myself and to sort my thoughts. I also could connect with a lot of the different poems.
The poems were about her life growing up and the struggles she faced in the day to day life.
If you want to read this collection, make sure to check the trigger warnings beforhand! A few I would name are: Suicide, Depression, Self Harm, Abortion and even more I can't think of right now.
I really enjoyed this collection but I liked her other collection a little bit more.
Thank you to NetGalley and Button Poetry for this Arc!
is the same body
who is still determined to write love letters to me."
I am a big fan of Blythe Bairds poetry and this collection didn't disappoint me.
I already knew that a few poems will include heavy topics and there were a few poems after which I needed a moment to collect myself and to sort my thoughts. I also could connect with a lot of the different poems.
The poems were about her life growing up and the struggles she faced in the day to day life.
If you want to read this collection, make sure to check the trigger warnings beforhand! A few I would name are: Suicide, Depression, Self Harm, Abortion and even more I can't think of right now.
I really enjoyed this collection but I liked her other collection a little bit more.
Thank you to NetGalley and Button Poetry for this Arc!
January 22, 2023
I read this book two times over, straight through, and couldn’t breathe the entire time. I bled with each poem.
October 11, 2023
i whisper to myself.
this is my love language:
please do not touch me.
please let me land on you.
this is my love language:
please do not touch me.
please let me land on you.
December 21, 2022
5/5 stars. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this e-ARC!
This was the first book of poems I've read by Baird, and it wont be my last.
Their sense of lyricism and language on the page is absolutely stunning, drawing out emotions buried deep inside of me and invoking a rich sense of understanding. Baird's strong imagery made themselves known and painted a realistic picture of abortion, eating disorders, self-harm, and other difficult topics. How their poems are formatted on the page, too, is reminiscent of the complexities and intricacies of the poems and their topics.
Highly recommend this book!
This was the first book of poems I've read by Baird, and it wont be my last.
Their sense of lyricism and language on the page is absolutely stunning, drawing out emotions buried deep inside of me and invoking a rich sense of understanding. Baird's strong imagery made themselves known and painted a realistic picture of abortion, eating disorders, self-harm, and other difficult topics. How their poems are formatted on the page, too, is reminiscent of the complexities and intricacies of the poems and their topics.
Highly recommend this book!
January 31, 2024
"I'll admit: I blamed her for teaching me how to be cruel to my body because she let me watch her set fire to her own."
November 1, 2022
Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read and review Sweet, Young & Worried.
When I came across the book I realised that the authors name seemed familiar. I think I heard her slam poem, when the fart girl gets skinny in freshmen year. Aside from that I haven't read or listened to a lot of her work but now I plan on doing so.
Blythe Baird's collection is beautifully mature. Some of the poems make you sad, but there's a sense of a person who has grown up in these pieces which helps a lot; which gives you hope. That our personalities are more than what broke us.
When I came across the book I realised that the authors name seemed familiar. I think I heard her slam poem, when the fart girl gets skinny in freshmen year. Aside from that I haven't read or listened to a lot of her work but now I plan on doing so.
Blythe Baird's collection is beautifully mature. Some of the poems make you sad, but there's a sense of a person who has grown up in these pieces which helps a lot; which gives you hope. That our personalities are more than what broke us.
October 24, 2022
Quality Rating: Five Stars
Enjoyment Rating: Five Stars
◆ Thank you to NetGalley for this ebook for review ◆
I don’t think I’ll ever make it through a Blythe Baird poetry collection without crying. I don’t think I’ll ever make it through a Blythe Baird poetry collection feeling like dome’s ripped open my chest for the world to see. And I don’t think I’ll ever make it through a Blythe Baird poetry collection without coming out the other side feeling powerful.
Enjoyment Rating: Five Stars
◆ Thank you to NetGalley for this ebook for review ◆
I don’t think I’ll ever make it through a Blythe Baird poetry collection without crying. I don’t think I’ll ever make it through a Blythe Baird poetry collection feeling like dome’s ripped open my chest for the world to see. And I don’t think I’ll ever make it through a Blythe Baird poetry collection without coming out the other side feeling powerful.
January 2, 2024
review to come !
December 29, 2024
I related to this one just a bit less but I still loved it
November 6, 2022
Sweet, Young, & Worried is a poetry collection of the author’s personal life experiences. There are a plethora of poems in this collection that discusses themes of self-forgiveness, acceptance, queerness, internalised Homophobia, mental illness, eating disorders, grief, abortion, and healing.
The pacing/spacing of the writing seemed a bit disorientated and made it difficult to read at times. My favourite lines were: “You do not have to be a catastrophe to prove you are worth paying attention to”. The arrangement of the poems was a bit confusing as the ones talking about self-hate, EDs, Suicide etc we’re mixed with the ones talking about healing.
The more I think about it, this could have been done on purpose as a way to show that healing is not linear, and if it was intentional, I think it’s genius. As someone who has struggled with mental illness and eating disorders, I related a lot to the author’s experiences.
I usually struggle with reading poetry but this was very easy to comprehend and was a quick read. Although it covered many heavy topics, I think this poetry collection would be great for teens as a lot of what the author talked about is exactly what many teens experience everyday.
I didn’t understand the purpose of the birth chart. There was no writings about it or explanations as to why it was there, it was just kinda thrown in at the end for whatever reason I don’t know. And I know nothing about astrology so I have no clue what it means.
Overall, it was a nice, quick read and I would recommend this to teens struggling with EDs and/or mental illness and/or queerness. I feel they could benefit from connecting with this author so they can feel less alone and more confident that they can heal.
Although I appreciate the NetGalley description for providing some trigger warnings, I think it would have been beneficial to include a page at the beginning of the poetry book with a fuller list of trigger/content warnings considering the rawness of the poems and the heavy discussion topics.
Thank you to NetGalley and Button Poetry for allowing me an eARC of this poetry collection and most of all, thank you to the author for sharing your life experiences.
TWs/CWs - Abortion; Alcohol consumption; Animal death; Anorexia; Blood; Bulimia; Cussing; Drug use; EDs; Homophobia; Internalised Homophobia; Medical detail; Murder; Needles; Overdose; Psychiatric ward; Pregnancy; Self harm; Suicide attempt; Suicide ideation; Vomit
The pacing/spacing of the writing seemed a bit disorientated and made it difficult to read at times. My favourite lines were: “You do not have to be a catastrophe to prove you are worth paying attention to”. The arrangement of the poems was a bit confusing as the ones talking about self-hate, EDs, Suicide etc we’re mixed with the ones talking about healing.
The more I think about it, this could have been done on purpose as a way to show that healing is not linear, and if it was intentional, I think it’s genius. As someone who has struggled with mental illness and eating disorders, I related a lot to the author’s experiences.
I usually struggle with reading poetry but this was very easy to comprehend and was a quick read. Although it covered many heavy topics, I think this poetry collection would be great for teens as a lot of what the author talked about is exactly what many teens experience everyday.
I didn’t understand the purpose of the birth chart. There was no writings about it or explanations as to why it was there, it was just kinda thrown in at the end for whatever reason I don’t know. And I know nothing about astrology so I have no clue what it means.
Overall, it was a nice, quick read and I would recommend this to teens struggling with EDs and/or mental illness and/or queerness. I feel they could benefit from connecting with this author so they can feel less alone and more confident that they can heal.
Although I appreciate the NetGalley description for providing some trigger warnings, I think it would have been beneficial to include a page at the beginning of the poetry book with a fuller list of trigger/content warnings considering the rawness of the poems and the heavy discussion topics.
Thank you to NetGalley and Button Poetry for allowing me an eARC of this poetry collection and most of all, thank you to the author for sharing your life experiences.
TWs/CWs - Abortion; Alcohol consumption; Animal death; Anorexia; Blood; Bulimia; Cussing; Drug use; EDs; Homophobia; Internalised Homophobia; Medical detail; Murder; Needles; Overdose; Psychiatric ward; Pregnancy; Self harm; Suicide attempt; Suicide ideation; Vomit
December 1, 2022
Thank you Net Galley and Button Poetry for access to this ARC.
This book opens with the trials of teenagehood, especially the pressure to be thin and attractive. Suicide, mental health issues, addiction, and eating disorders are all addressed in part one. The language veers rapidly between dark, glittering imagery to pained playfulness to conversational--wondering:
"what if someone
had told us that
we didn’t
have to
be bleeding
in order
to be open?
what if someone
had told me
that a wound was
not the only way
to travel into
the center
of myself?"
What a Body Inherits is such a poignant description of the complicated relationship between young girls, their mothers, and their bodies. This one really stuck with me and made me feel understood by the author.
Guilt Doesn't Live Here Anymore is a lovely and sharp transition into Part two which addresses the journey through recovery and rage. Then we slip into a story about abortion and the sadness that follows her through that journey. And then, in Taking My Mother to a Gay Bar, the author begins to explore her mother's relationship to her sexual identity.
Part 3 discusses being an artist, being in love, and the uselessness of shame.
As a queer girl with body image issues, a penchant for darkness, and a strained relationship with mothers and motherhood, this whole collection really hit home for me.
Some favorites from this collection were The Nights I Felt Irridescent and Come Home, Stockholm.
I haven't read much poetry recently, and this was a nice way to dip my toes back into the genre. It only took me a little over an hour to devour, and I think this is a read that will stick with me for some time.
This book opens with the trials of teenagehood, especially the pressure to be thin and attractive. Suicide, mental health issues, addiction, and eating disorders are all addressed in part one. The language veers rapidly between dark, glittering imagery to pained playfulness to conversational--wondering:
"what if someone
had told us that
we didn’t
have to
be bleeding
in order
to be open?
what if someone
had told me
that a wound was
not the only way
to travel into
the center
of myself?"
What a Body Inherits is such a poignant description of the complicated relationship between young girls, their mothers, and their bodies. This one really stuck with me and made me feel understood by the author.
Guilt Doesn't Live Here Anymore is a lovely and sharp transition into Part two which addresses the journey through recovery and rage. Then we slip into a story about abortion and the sadness that follows her through that journey. And then, in Taking My Mother to a Gay Bar, the author begins to explore her mother's relationship to her sexual identity.
Part 3 discusses being an artist, being in love, and the uselessness of shame.
As a queer girl with body image issues, a penchant for darkness, and a strained relationship with mothers and motherhood, this whole collection really hit home for me.
Some favorites from this collection were The Nights I Felt Irridescent and Come Home, Stockholm.
I haven't read much poetry recently, and this was a nice way to dip my toes back into the genre. It only took me a little over an hour to devour, and I think this is a read that will stick with me for some time.
November 11, 2022
2.5
Reviewing and rating poetry collections is usually really difficult, and this collection is no exception. I requested it as I thought this would be something I would highly relate to - it talks about eating disorders, mental illness, queerness, loss. In a way, it was exactly that, but I also didn't end up enjoying it as much as I expected.
I think it's clear this collection is dear to the author's heart, at times it felt very raw and touching. It almost feels wrong to rate this as low as I'm rating it, as I understand poetry is highly subjective, and holds a lot of emotion, no matter how much someone enjoys it. And of course, there were poems I enjoyed. As with every poetry collection, some poems are bound to work for you more than others.
In this collection I generally enjoyed the longer poems more, there was something more tangible about them, they felt more emotional and the format was just more enjoyable to me. The shorter poems felt a little bit too much like snippets of thoughts rather than full works by themselves. A lot of the shorter poems really couldn't stand on their own very well. I did still relate to a lot of the poems, and I think the younger me would've loved this book so much. I used to enjoy this format of poetry a lot, and I think there are many people who'll be able to read this and enjoy it more than I did.
Unfortunately, this collection didn't work out for me, but if you are interested in reading it, definitely give it a go! Despite not enjoying it as I thought I would, I think this collection comes from genuine feelings the author had and it will be appreciated by the right people :)
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review!
Reviewing and rating poetry collections is usually really difficult, and this collection is no exception. I requested it as I thought this would be something I would highly relate to - it talks about eating disorders, mental illness, queerness, loss. In a way, it was exactly that, but I also didn't end up enjoying it as much as I expected.
I think it's clear this collection is dear to the author's heart, at times it felt very raw and touching. It almost feels wrong to rate this as low as I'm rating it, as I understand poetry is highly subjective, and holds a lot of emotion, no matter how much someone enjoys it. And of course, there were poems I enjoyed. As with every poetry collection, some poems are bound to work for you more than others.
In this collection I generally enjoyed the longer poems more, there was something more tangible about them, they felt more emotional and the format was just more enjoyable to me. The shorter poems felt a little bit too much like snippets of thoughts rather than full works by themselves. A lot of the shorter poems really couldn't stand on their own very well. I did still relate to a lot of the poems, and I think the younger me would've loved this book so much. I used to enjoy this format of poetry a lot, and I think there are many people who'll be able to read this and enjoy it more than I did.
Unfortunately, this collection didn't work out for me, but if you are interested in reading it, definitely give it a go! Despite not enjoying it as I thought I would, I think this collection comes from genuine feelings the author had and it will be appreciated by the right people :)
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review!
October 16, 2022
Sweet, Young, & Worried is by far the most relatable collection of poetry. I will admit that all of my life I have struggled with an eating disorder though not the kind that Baird delved into so deeply and hauntingly. The way that Baird talks about her trauma is the same way we all give parts of our whole selves when we say, "our hearts are on our sleeves". I haven't seen it in such a long time that this variety of emotional verses gave me a sucker punch I wasn't expecting.
Baird has a way with words that reminds me of the vivid dreams I wake up remembering every detail of. I see her words as much as I feel and understand them. There's a complexity to her style that other poets will be unable to mimic, even when the subject matters are much more widely spread across our generations beginning to speak louder.
The second part was my favorite simply because of the pieces that revolved around her and her mother's estranged relationship. There's something healing about facing the fact that your abusers are human and even though they hurt you, empathy is so important to the conversation about generational trauma. Not just empathy for yourself, but for your abuser.
This brough me to tears, and I know fully well this will go on my bookshelf. I also know that that as soon as it is, it will be well read.
Baird has a way with words that reminds me of the vivid dreams I wake up remembering every detail of. I see her words as much as I feel and understand them. There's a complexity to her style that other poets will be unable to mimic, even when the subject matters are much more widely spread across our generations beginning to speak louder.
The second part was my favorite simply because of the pieces that revolved around her and her mother's estranged relationship. There's something healing about facing the fact that your abusers are human and even though they hurt you, empathy is so important to the conversation about generational trauma. Not just empathy for yourself, but for your abuser.
This brough me to tears, and I know fully well this will go on my bookshelf. I also know that that as soon as it is, it will be well read.
November 22, 2022
“It is one thing to want help and another to have the language to ask for it.”
I first heard Blythe Baird’s poetry through the Button Poetry youtube channel nearly 10 years ago. I bought her previously published poetry collection, If My Body Could Speak, as soon as it hit shelves back in 2019 and have read it many times over the last three years. I am so honored and grateful to have gotten an eARC of this newest collection of her work.
As I expected it to, Blythe’s writing hits me like watching old home videos. I am, thankfully, not in the depth of my mental health struggles like I was when I first found Blythe’s spoken word. Still, her words resonate with a part of me that will only ever hibernate and never fully retire. My favorite pieces in Sweet, Young, and Worried were “This Must Be Enough” and “Guilt Doesn’t Live Here Anymore.” Growing up with her poetry and reading it again now has made me appreciate and grieve the years I spent in the same boat as her. It’s heavy and hard to swallow but it’s real and it’s important. Massive TW for eating disorders, self harm, suicide and suicidal ideation, and abortion.
5⭐️
Thank you Netgalley and Button Poetry for the eARC!
I first heard Blythe Baird’s poetry through the Button Poetry youtube channel nearly 10 years ago. I bought her previously published poetry collection, If My Body Could Speak, as soon as it hit shelves back in 2019 and have read it many times over the last three years. I am so honored and grateful to have gotten an eARC of this newest collection of her work.
As I expected it to, Blythe’s writing hits me like watching old home videos. I am, thankfully, not in the depth of my mental health struggles like I was when I first found Blythe’s spoken word. Still, her words resonate with a part of me that will only ever hibernate and never fully retire. My favorite pieces in Sweet, Young, and Worried were “This Must Be Enough” and “Guilt Doesn’t Live Here Anymore.” Growing up with her poetry and reading it again now has made me appreciate and grieve the years I spent in the same boat as her. It’s heavy and hard to swallow but it’s real and it’s important. Massive TW for eating disorders, self harm, suicide and suicidal ideation, and abortion.
5⭐️
Thank you Netgalley and Button Poetry for the eARC!
January 5, 2023
Thanks for this ARC, netgalley.
I pinky promise
your poetry will still
be poetry even if you
don't write it
like this
I don't get the annoying format that is used throughout the whole book. When will poets understand that you actually can use different types of formatting throughout the book and break the formula and the poetry will still make sense? Do I have to pinky promise it will still make sense? There you go, pinky promise. As for the poems, it's not actually that good. Yeah, it's deep and it makes sense. I love reading poetry. But even with the proper format, I don't think I will enjoy it. The poetry tells a story but there is much less eloquence to it than I'd like. Especially the first part. But I really started to enjoy the later chapters. I just wish the formatting doesn't clash with the actual prose. The formatting in later chapters are nice though. Instead of hindering, they help.
Also a side, side note: That's not a birth chart. Western natal charts are round and Eastern natal charts are square. But your poetry makes so much more sense now. Signed, an astrologist.
I pinky promise
your poetry will still
be poetry even if you
don't write it
like this
I don't get the annoying format that is used throughout the whole book. When will poets understand that you actually can use different types of formatting throughout the book and break the formula and the poetry will still make sense? Do I have to pinky promise it will still make sense? There you go, pinky promise. As for the poems, it's not actually that good. Yeah, it's deep and it makes sense. I love reading poetry. But even with the proper format, I don't think I will enjoy it. The poetry tells a story but there is much less eloquence to it than I'd like. Especially the first part. But I really started to enjoy the later chapters. I just wish the formatting doesn't clash with the actual prose. The formatting in later chapters are nice though. Instead of hindering, they help.
Also a side, side note: That's not a birth chart. Western natal charts are round and Eastern natal charts are square. But your poetry makes so much more sense now. Signed, an astrologist.
February 15, 2024
i loved if my body could speak, so i wasn’t sure how this would hold up to it as a follow up. i didn’t enjoy this collection quite as much, but the raw and personal nature of this book is something i deeply appreciate.
some of my favorite stanzas:
“My poor mother. I cannot let
anything be her fault, even if
it was. Especially if it was.
Because if it was, I have to
acknowledge that I
have never bothered
to ask my mother
why she is unhappy.
If I invite her to give
her endless well
of grief
a name,
I am afraid
it will be
mine.”
“why did i not
allow myself
to clutch the
shooting stars
of my happiness
as tightly as the
dissolving sea
of my grief?
why is there so
little evidence
of all the nights
i felt iridescent?”
“when survival feels
like a performance,
it is still an art form.”
“in fact, I’m going to
take over the world
because of everything
that has been done
to me & my body.
I am sharpening
my voice
into a sword.”
“I love my mom, though I am afraid
my sexuality will always be a bullet
point on the long list
of things about me
that my mother is
disgusted by…
I love all of her, even if
there are aspects of myself
she still has no desire
to learn how to love.”
some of my favorite stanzas:
“My poor mother. I cannot let
anything be her fault, even if
it was. Especially if it was.
Because if it was, I have to
acknowledge that I
have never bothered
to ask my mother
why she is unhappy.
If I invite her to give
her endless well
of grief
a name,
I am afraid
it will be
mine.”
“why did i not
allow myself
to clutch the
shooting stars
of my happiness
as tightly as the
dissolving sea
of my grief?
why is there so
little evidence
of all the nights
i felt iridescent?”
“when survival feels
like a performance,
it is still an art form.”
“in fact, I’m going to
take over the world
because of everything
that has been done
to me & my body.
I am sharpening
my voice
into a sword.”
“I love my mom, though I am afraid
my sexuality will always be a bullet
point on the long list
of things about me
that my mother is
disgusted by…
I love all of her, even if
there are aspects of myself
she still has no desire
to learn how to love.”
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