Drag Me Through the Mess

In Jessica Mehtas tenth book Drag Me Through the Mess uncovers what it means to be an indigenous woman in a society where NDNs are seen as fashion accessories at best and obsolete at worst. Each poem grips the reader and reveals a king of honest emotion and telling thats almost unnerving. All the ugliness and hurts of life are explored with a kind of lyrical beauty that causes deep contrasts and juxtapositions. No matter the subject readers will relate to the work and themes because at the heart of each is a shared experience.The mess of life is one everyone shares and Mehta touches on emotions and feelings at subcutaneous levels. Inspired by the works of Li-Young Lee Sylvia Plath Anne Sexton Kim Addonizio and all the great of confessional poetry Mehta finds a way to tap into themes wed rather turn away from and see them with a lens attuned to discovery--and ultimately healing.Drag Me Through the Mess takes the reader on a journey that delves into the darkest parts of the human experience before bringing them into a soothing light. Featuring perfect word choices strong line breaks and recurring totems that tie the collection together Mehtas tenth book is perhaps her strongest. Its a collection that showcases the full spectrum of the human experience that will leave readers saying I thought I was the only one. Its beyond confessional because confessions are often shrouded in shame. Here theres no asking of forgiveness.