Review: Constellations of my Body by Jessica Mehta

Jessica Mehta is poet who writes without shame about body, race, and belonging. There's both an unflinching boldness and an unexpected tenderness to the way she treats the rich cast within these pages — the ghosts of past selves, lost loves, and departed family. Constellations of My Body takes readers on an open-hearted journey through life's fires asking what we inherit and what we make ourselves, what it means to be native, to be other, to feel lost and, ultimately, to belong.

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~ My Review ~

I read this on the road, and the expanse of the open horizon, the bouts of construction sites along the way, was a perfect setting for all the stories written here. Jessica Mehta is harsh in her observations about love, loss and life, in general. Her brutality in her words gave me pause in that perhaps I look at life in my own naive way. But I liked her honesty. I liked that Mehta was able to speak her truths, her bitterness, and questions - and perhaps answers -  to an overall purpose. Which begs the question, what is our purpose, if not to survive one overwhelming event after another and celebrate life, in all its darkness, and grittiness. Some of us are made with tenacity, with a poet's keen sense of observation and this need to write it all down. 
This collection of musings, facts, travels, and a life lived is richly woven in this haphazard beautiful tapestry of words. 

​***I received a copy in exchange for an honest review. I am not required to write a positive one. These thoughts and opinions are my own.***

Rating: 4/5

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About the Author

Jessica (Tyner) Mehta, born and raised in Oregon and a member of the Cherokee Nation, is the author of ten books including the forthcoming Savagery by Airlie Press (poetry), Drag Me Through the Mess by Unsolicited Press (poetry), and You Look Something by Wyatt MacKenzie Publishing (literary fiction). Her previous books include Constellations of My Body by Musehick Publications (poetry), Secret-Telling Bones by The Operating System (poetry), The Wrong Kind of Indian by Wyatt-MacKenzie Publishing (literary fiction), as well as the poetry collections Orygun, What Makes an Always and The Last Exotic Petting Zoo by Tayen Lane Publishing. Jessica authored the business book 100 Ways to Make $100k with Your English Degree, which has been featured on numerous podcasts including JenningsWire and World Outsourcing Solutions.

Twitter:
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 Website: ​https://jessicamehta.com/jessicamehta.com/