Ghosts in Empty Homes: “Exit Wounds” by Monica Robinson—Book Review

“ghost seeking permanent residency:

wanted — roommate, living or dead.
must believe in ghosts.

won’t use all of the hot water, or track dirt into the hallway, or steal your leftovers, or bring home strange men.

must be okay with bare feet, bare bones, and the occasional smell of rot.”

—Monica Robinson, Exit Wounds

Synopsis:

(n.) exit wound: a wound made by a bullet or a missile passing out of the body. See also: the undefined pain between entry and exit.

A compilation of original poetry, photography, and art depicting the pain upon entry and exit, and everything inbetween.

My thoughts:

Monica Robinson is possibly one of my favourite poets, alongside Olivia Gatwood. She (Monica) does not fall into the new wave of Kaur-wannabe-instagram poets. Monica’s work in this debut collection of poetry starts out with a dark tone, with an unflinching sadness and pain that one normally feels in the transition from teenage years into adulthood. This collection is split into two parts, the first is known as “entering” and the second as “exiting”.

part one// entering:

As I said before the beginning is a bit dark. Monica does an extraordinary job of showing the uncut pain she felt at the phase in her life. The bullet entering her body and tearing everything apart, the pain she felt before she came out. The struggle of getting her footing in adulthood, of moving to the city and finding herself.

part two// exiting:

Robinson writes about falling in love with her partner, about living with her and what it is like to fall in love with a musician. She writes about her brother and sister in an untitled poem. She finds light in life and joy in others. She writes about the people reading her work and thanking them for holding on with her.

“you.

give me your closet demons, your coal dust, your buried spell boxes,

your car crash psyche, your crashed car, your stringless guitars and night sweats, [. . .]”

—Monica Robinson, Exit Wounds

Find Monica here: mrobinsonwrites.com

Order Exit Wounds on Lulu: Exit Wounds on Lulu

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