No Matter the Wreckage by Sarah Kay

“When I am inside writing,
all I can think about is how I should be outside living.

When I am outside living,
all I can do is notice all there is to write about.”

I have been a big fan of Sarah Kay’s spoken word poetry ever since I watched the video for her poem with Phil Kaye called When Love Arrives.  Since then I have watched every video featuring her poems as well as her TED Talk, which is excellent by the way.  So recently, as I’ve started to explore poetry books, No Matter the Wreckage was a must read.  I found it to be a great collection of poems, many of which I ended up re-reading many times, and memorizing as a result.  There is a variety of subjects and emotions that are explored, such as love, family, and insecurities.  Certain passages just reach out, perfectly expressing thoughts and feelings that are not always easily put into words.  My personal favourites are: The Type, The Paradox, Here and Now, The Shirt, and Evaporate.  This is a strong collection that I would recommend even if poetry is not typically your thing, as I feel there is something here for anyone to connect to.  And do check out the videos of Sarah Kay.  As good as her poetry is in print, it is that much more strong and powerful when she is reciting it.