Gateway Short Reads : Spring 2022

Bridget Moynahan, and Amanda Benchley. Our Shoes, Our Selves : 40 Women, 40 Stories, 40 Pairs of Shoes. Abrams, 2019.

From the Introduction: "Traumatic events in our lives cause damage to our being in such a way that it becomes difficult to restore the self to the state it was in before trauma. Psychological trauma manifests itself in various ways such as fear, anxiety and feeling of worthlessness. The damage that is caused by trauma is difficult to overcome without therapy and medication. This article explores how Rupi Kaur uses the expression of poetry as a therapeutic medium to overcome the feelings associated with trauma. Kaur faced sexual abuse, both as a child and as an adult. The psychological trauma caused by this abuse is reflected in her collection of poetry."

Leszkiewicz, Anna. "Why are we so worried about 'Instapoetry'?: The legitimacy of 'Instapoetry' has long been fiercely debated: but the rise of the term has sparked a fragmented critical conversation." New Statesman, vol. 148, no. 5461, 8 Mar. 2019.