Book Review for a broken vase, envenomed by Bert S. Lechner
I received this book for free. This does not impact my review in any shape or form.
a broken vase, envenomed, by Bert S. Lechner, is a poetry collection detailing Lechner’s emotional journey from leaving his abusive partner, to slowly regaining his confidence and independence. Poems such as “it hurt” provide a brief yet devastating picture of how much the abuse had affected him, while “road” shows the roadblocks Lechner faced when he was healing. The constant questioning and slow acceptance of himself speaks volumes to how many times he’s restitched his heart together, an authentic depiction of what it takes to finally cope with their trauma.
I have a few loved ones in my family who are diagnosed with Autism and/or Asperger’s, and I understand how easy it can be to take advantage of them. I constantly ask myself whether or not I repeat harmful behaviors towards them, and when I read this collection, I’m reminded why. Is it the most productive use of my time? Not really. But does it keep me accountable? I hope so.
One of the poems that spoke most to me was “wings”. Although a couple of the poems in the theme had specified being trapped by love, I especially loved this one because it emphasizes the concept of the broken bird, and rather than intimate partner violence, it reminds me of a parent abusing their child. They force a neurodivergent child to conform to neurotypical expectations, and when, surprise, they don’t, they’re beaten for it. My elementary school did it to my younger sister, and if my father hadn’t stepped in, I don’t know what would’ve happened.
Yet another poem that I find clients asking about is “I need to know.” So many clients dream about confronting their abusers, but sometimes they don’t get the chance. Sometimes they end up not doing it because they’re too afraid or triggered, while others have abusers who will deny it until the end of time. To this day, there may still be abusers whose families continue to take their sides, regardless of the evidence presented to them. The most comfort I can offer is indirect, whether it be having them speak to the air as if the abuser is in the room or writing a letter and burning it if they so choose.
This collection is hauntingly beautiful as it is gruesome and very much needed at the forefront of those discussions. While domestic violence and intimate partner violence are discussed a lot with women, people of color, and more recently, LGBTQ+ populations, intimate partner violence and domestic violence with neurodivergent individuals aren’t as discussed as often as they need to be.
As such, I am giving this collection a 5 out of 5 stars.
