Book Review: Poetic Help by N.E. Wright

Reviewed by Mandy Bach

Sweetly optimistic and structurally succinct, N.E. Wright’s Poetic Help is a collection of inspirational poetry peppered with illustrations.

Poetic Help touches upon a wide range of topics, from body image to drug use. Each poem has its own sense of clarity that seems uniquely able to simplify its chosen situation such that readers can see the choices they have laid out in front of them more easily.

The poem “Man and Woman” explores heterosexual marriage and the ruinous nature of infidelity. Another, “Late,” spends its first stanza with a speaker who is struggling with tardiness before providing readers with a series of tips for showing up on time. This is a poetic self-help book with clear vision.

Several of the poems in Poetic Help are in some way or another about self-image and self-esteem. “Things are looking up” shows readers a speaker frustrated by their mental health journey. The last couplet of the poem is, “My emotions started to sink but hey now things are looking / up. I need to look in the mirror and give myself a wink.”

Similarly, the poem “Smile” ends with the lines: “So go on and give me a / smile. It will brighten your day and mine, go on put all / your troubles behind and enjoy the sunshine.”

Rather than offering comprehensive solutions, these poems are interested in the tiny tricks that could make make life a little easier to live. This move circumvents the risk of belittling complicated problems, choosing instead to focus on small, easier choices that could genuinely offer readers solace. The poems in Poetic Help are always inspirational.

As the speaker sets out to share their neat understanding of the world around them, they take on an optimistic, at times teasing tone, much like one teachers use with small children. The rhyme in the poems provides us with a playfulness that permeates the collection.

Most striking about Poetic Help is its attention to play. Even when a poem’s content drifts into heavy territory like hatred or mental health, the voice and form stay playful. There is a lot of fun in this collection that fits nicely with the altruistic goals of the book as a whole. The illustrations are a great example of this playfulness.

The poem “A picture of perfection” lists some common examples of perceived perfection: Marilyn Monroe’s lips, Grace Jones’ cheekbones, and Julia Roberts’ hair. The last item on the list is Arnold Schewarzenegger’s abs, which are then showcased in a tiny illustration of a man with a body builder’s physique and no head. The illustrations all feature this sort of sweet humor that emphasizes N.E. Wright’s attention to play.

Poetic Help offers playful assistance with the thousand little struggles of everyday life. The poems each feature their own tips and tricks for incorporating a little extra joy into life, fiercely complicated as it may be.

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