Sometimes I’m a Bird, Sometimes I’m a Rock by Tine Paludan

Genre: poetry,illustrations
Year Of Publication: 15th August 2016
Publisher: Mellemting
Pages: 90 (paperback )
My rating: 4/5

” In late January 2016 I set a goal for myself: write one hundred texts in one hundred days.

I promised not to think too much or spend too much time on each text. It had to be quick, even instant: moments put to paper.

By April, the pages held heartbreak, falling in love, memories sticking their heads out from the dark, reflections in forest lakes and broken mirrors, lost days, light days…

In the process of turning those texts into this book, some texts were left out, illustrations were added, and the chronological order disrupted.

The editing of the texts themselves has been kept to an absolute minimum.

Sometimes I’m a Bird, Sometimes I’m a Rock is an exercise in imperfection, in accepting the fragmented and incoherent. There’s not a full story told in perfect phrases. There’s just … this and whatever you take from it. “

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It is amazing what you can achieve in a 100 days.

Sometimes I’m a Bird, Sometimes I’m a Rock is a collection of illustrated poetry. The author has put some of her defining moments onto paper. It describes her journey of letting go and “accepting the fluidity and contrasts of life”.

From the instant I cracked up the spine and began flipping through the pages I realized that this book was extraordinary.

I read this book in no particular order (which is how I think it was intended to be).

Reading this felt like going on a journey with the author.You can experience the emotions , the pain , the uncertainty of what the author was going through.  The raw style of her prose makes you feel like you’re at the tip of an iceberg and there’s so much more that lies beneath than what you could possibly ever have fathomed.

The illustrations incorporated with the text just make it even more distinctive and unique.It is very inspiring  and makes me want to start a similar project soon.

In the end I’d like to share an excerpt -one of my favorites from the book:

#33

You wouldn’t recognise me in this
dress – I haven’t worn it in public
yet. But I’m going to, real soon, real
soon.

It’s a special dress:made from all the
little holes I’ve scratched
in the universe

nhbkbuigbnklbhiohbiklni with my angsty claws.

I’ve turned dirt into divinity. Anger
into weightlessness, I sparkle now,

nhbkbuigbnklbhiohbiklni this is my mad phoenix dress.

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*I had the pleasure of Interviewing Tine for my blog. If you’d like to read her interview click HERE. I’m also currently hosting a GIVEAWAY for “Sometimes I’m a Bird, Sometimes I’m a Rock” on my Instagram so If you’d like a chance to win this book go enter HERE.