Rags of My Soul: Poems

by T. Byram Karasu

Following the Roman poet Virgil metaphorically, T. Byram Karasu unflinchingly plunges into the depths of our collective unconscious. With this luminous book of poems, he draws on profound psychological insights to reveal much about the human mind. Karasu skillfully and courageously addresses the many nuanced layers of tenderness, sex, regret, deceit, guilt, and death in this debut collection of poetry. With his uncanny ability, irreverence, and transgressive intimacy, he achieves a sense of timelessness.

Genres: Poetry

144 pages, Hardcover

First published October 23, 2008

About the author

Dr. Karasu is a psychiatrist, educator and psychotherapist with extensive experience treating depression and personality disorders. He chaired the American Psychiatric Association’s (APA) national task force on the treatment of psychiatric disorders, which produced a seminal, four-volume report describing the therapy for each disorder. He also chaired the APA’s work group on major depressive disorders, whose findings were published in the Practice Guideline for Major Depressive Disorder in Adults.
Dr. Karasu is a Distinguished Life Fellow of the APA and the recipient of the APA's Presidential Commendation and the American Society of Psychoanalytic Physicians’ Sigmund Freud Award. A prolific writer, he is the author or editor of 21 books, two of them are bestsellers, The Art of Serenity and The Spirit of Happiness. He is the author or co-author of more than 100 peer-reviewed publications, a member of the editorial boards of nine journals, and editor-in-chief emeritus of the American Journal of Psychotherapy.

Reviews

[Jenny Clark · Rating 3 out of 5]

A rather mixed bag here. Some resonated with me, others fell flat. I would read more by him, so a solid collection.

[Marie K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and amusing at parts.

[Mel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Liked some, loved a few, and did not like some of the others...typical for a poetry book.

[Amiehann · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are some poems that I liked and some that I didn't. But all in all, I have enjoyed reading this little hardback poetry book from a Japanese author, a book which i scored from Booksale not too long ago, for only Php50!

Here are the poems that I liked (and by liked, I mean the ones that made me think of someone I ought to forget):


A Lingering Doubt

I thought I saw you again in
Half-deserted streets of Avenue C,
Sidled up to a tall frame -
It was trembling hours;
You looked in my direction
Indifferent, then,
Lighted a moment of kiss.
Should then I believe that
You once loved me? or
I no longer exist.


And,


Knowing

I had never seen you, never smelled
Your voice; but I think I know you, because I
Believe in desire. You had never seen me,
Never heard my breath; but you think you know me
Because you believe in remorse.
When life had failed me,
I abandoned you and
All other shrines. You cleaved only to
Solitude, lulled your passion to sleep
Kindred emotions.
Had I been more careless and unaltered
My impulses, you might have dumped on me
The load of your virtual heart and
All other ruins from its own wreck;
Then may be then,
We might not have really known each other.


I loved the language. Karasu skillfully addresses the many nuanced layers of tenderness, regret, deceit, guilt, and death in this collection of poetry.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting poems and author.