Mistakes Were Made by Juliette E. Sebock
Reviewed by Realistic Poetry International
Juliette Sebock’s Mistakes Were Made perceives life through the lens of reality, irony, imperfection, and emotion, reminding us of the mixed, convoluted feelings aroused when it comes to certain aspects in life, primarily love, relationships, and people, especially those we actually choose to make a part of our life.
Juliette Sebock’s poetry reflects many human, relatable, common thoughts, ideas, and reactions as she takes us on a journey of internal adversities and dubious situations, some, that wound her as much as they make her stronger.
When it comes to love and companionship, she presents a sullen, sombrous side of ardor with featured poems such as “Ghost,” “DTR,” and “Squirrel Song,” all too familiar with the uncomfortable feeling of insomnia, long sleepless nights, and sporadic, irrepressible crying spells caused by love’s shattered, tainted remnants.
Often times, using an elusive style and approach, Sebock allures and pulls readers in by providing only enough detail to effectively provoke inquiry while we eagerly attempt to read in-between the lines. One prime example of this is the poem, “Addicted.”
In the first verse she writes; “I gave it up for a stronger drug, one with a higher high. I didn’t even know how low that was.”
In just one single line, Sebock succeeds in capturing the essence of the title while she also admits to the inevitable feeling of ‘lowness’ or degradation, negative symptoms usually associated with addictions and bad habits.
But still, what exactly is she referring to, we wonder? Narcotics? A physical addiction? A person, perhaps? Though this poem reveals the skeleton of what appears to be a.) a bad choice or b.) a mistake, there is clearly a cloud of suspense that cautiously encrypts the overall meaning by not directly stating what she sacrificed or exchanged for the “higher high.” Nonetheless, her transition to, “switch to secrecy,” we know is the ending result, in which we’re unsure of where exactly this will lead.
Philosophical and reflective poems such as “And Wherefore?” are interesting and thought-provoking, using a classic and effective rhetorical-effect to dramatize the prime meaning embedded, which in question format, sums up to;
“Who can stay sane in this mad, mad world?”
Provoking question, Sebock! This poem prompts us to think, at the end of the day, no matter your background, rich or poor, good or bad, many of the extreme truths, ironic happenings and stigmatized lunacies of our world are literally innate to humanities existence, sometimes leaving sanity as one extremely, vulnerable asset!
Drawn to its peculiarity, this poem is definitely one of our favorites and is unique in its presentation and delivery, casually surrendering to the idea of insanity with respect to what the she perceives as, a never-ending, chaotic, muddled world of madness.
So, when you hear someone say, “that person is crazy,” or “she/he has to be crazy,” after reading this poem one might respond in the words of the Author;
“Who’s not crazy, as we slip in and out of chaos? Who can stay sane in this mad, mad world? Maybe there’s some secret way. Or maybe that, too, flew away.”
Merging seamlessly with the title of this collection is the concluding poem entitled, “Apologiese,” written in a free verse like style with a slightly resentful and aggrieved tone, except for when it comes to, “the only one deserving it all,” she says. Yet and still, a gray shadow of disappointment looms over her and echoes in her voice as she admits to being the reason as to why she understands how sometimes, “sorry is the only response that makes sense,” even though throughout the poem she critiques the common cliché, deeming it as most people’s helpless ‘last resort’ when there’s nothing else left to say.
Keeping the theme of ‘mistakes’ closely in mind, Sebock closes this book out by courageously admitting she did make a mistake and responds;
“She knows that I’m sorry, and that’s all I need.”
Honestly, it is the perfect closing piece for the book as it embodies the nature and context of Author Juliette Sebock’s entire concept, dealing with human mistakes, inadequacies, shortcomings, mixed emotions, un-expectancies, and things we wish to, but cannot change.
It is a book we feel can be considered universal for all readers and is a terrific choice for realists who enjoy reading about some of life’s twists, bends and turns.
We’re pleased to present this book with a 5-star rating and hope you get your copy today!
