Depression’s Dance… Written by Hasty Words
http://hastywords.wordpress.com/
I am so honored to do this review for my good friend Hastywords.
She wrote a book called Depression’s Dance. She asked me to review it. I read it… and now I do not even know where to begin.
I like to think that I am good with words. I write all kinds of stuff. I also like to think that I can even reach inside myself and pull real emotions out, and then use words to make you feel what I feel. I even, rather pompously, named my blog ‘pouringmyartout’ because I thought that was what I was doing, at least occasionally.
But I now know what pouring your soul out really looks and feels like.
Because that is what she did.
She reached inside herself, through the doubt and pain and sadness, and she dipped her pen into her very soul and then put that soul on paper to share with us.
I write because it makes me feel important.
She writes because what she has to say is important.
She shares the most intimate parts of her life, not for the glamour of being noticed, but because, despite the pain that reopening these wounds might cause, she can help other people who are battling depression. This is a truly selfless act. I hope that she finds some release, some lessening of the pain by sharing her burden, but I know she isn’t doing it for herself.
There is a darkness to her words… because depression is an evil and malevolent foe. But she battles that dark dragon with fire and wit and charm and passion and love and caring and tenderness.
She writes poetry that you will feel vibrating in your very core, even if you are not troubled by depression yourself. And if you are fighting this demon, she will lift you up, she will share your pain, she will accompany you on your journey. She will fight by your side.
No, the poems aren’t all rainbows and sunshine. If you want to read poems about that, the world is full of such fluff… I know, because I write some of it. This isn’t about happy endings and false hope. Because depression never gives up. They say that alcoholics are never cured. They just fight the battle for the rest of their lives and try to regain the victory each and every day. Depression is much worse, because it can use alcoholism or substance abuse as its allies. It can attack your sense of self-worth, your motivation, your very view of yourself. It turns the mirror back on you, but it plays with your perception of yourself when you look into your own eyes. Depression is an evil bitch with a horde of willing servants to give it aid.
Now don’t get me wrong. The book isn’t all heartache and darkness. She is fighting the battle and gaining ground. Depression might never be destroyed, but she pushes it back into the dark corners where it belongs. Not all the time, not every time. But she finds the light and the love and the moments that bring joy. They say great novels about heroes can only be as great as the villain they are striving against. She is fighting the greatest devil of them all and never wavering, never giving up, never backing down.
And like all great stories, she has her loyal companions on the quest for victory over the dark oppressor. As Frodo had his Sam and Merry and Pippin, Hasty has her lovely daughter and steadfast husband. You will see pictures of them. And the book isn’t all poetry. There are uplifting quotes and stories of life that are moving. This is an epic journey through a life tinged with sadness, and yet so moving, so powerful, that you will find yourself cheering through the tears.
And I love the pictures! I have gotten to know Hasty fairly well. I consider her a friend. I did a whole series of posts a long time ago called ‘Steal your face’. (I stole that title from the name of a Grateful Dead album). I went around gathering pictures of my favorite bloggers… with their permission… and did funny stuff to them in Photoshop. Hasty did one of me in retaliation. This led to a series of posts I did called: ‘The Hastwords War.’ You should do a search and look at them. I got very use to looking at her face as I worked on a bunch of pictures of her in Photoshop. And I will tell you that Hasty has eyes you could fall into. They are stunning, captivating, glorious windows into a wise and sweet and caring soul. I admit I came to love her just a little… for the words she wrote on her blog… you know… in a not too creepy way… (Hasty, if your husband reads this, all I can say is, I’m sorry about this, but it’s true)… How a woman who looks like that can have issues about self-esteem is one of the great mysteries of life and shows how insidious depression really is. It can mess with anybody’s mind.
The ‘Hastywords War’ led to an offshoot series of posts I did about her daughter where I took pictures of that adorable child and did some funny pictures of her too. That series was called: ‘Hey, Hastykid’, and might be fun for you to look at also. I even did some pictures of her husband, and I enjoyed that too. I am not trying to make this about me. I just think it might be a good way to get to know this lovely family in a… slightly different way. And when you look at the pictures of them together, looking so happy and carefree, you would never in a million years think that the woman in those pictures was beset by terrible doubts and mournful sorrow.
I try to keep this blog family-friendly, but I want to say one thing: Fuck Depression!
I hope that one day Hasty pushes depression so far into the shadows that it never rears its ugly, festering, slimy head in her life again. But until that happens, I will support her, and be her friend, and read her words, and cheer her victories, and scream vile names at that evil-demon-bitch-goddess known as depression.
Hasty, may your dance with that beast be a short one, and end with you dancing on her obnoxious face… in some really sexy high heels.
Pouring My Art Out 
This was one of the best reviews I have read of a book in a long time! You gave us a lot of information without giving away the details of the book. You talked about the author like you know her (& I guess you do), so we feel like we know her too! Big thumbs up Art!
Thanks
I am happy today….must be all those warm words you wrote here yesterday 🙂
Yay… are you joining us on the record breaking comment post?
Correction: sulk not suck. But the omission does suck, Freudian slip???
Ha… I was wondering where you were going with that…
Yes mmmm
ha
hey great review and well done to hasty and you. But Arthur I thought I was one of your favourites too but you didn’t do funny pics of me so now I am going to suck in the corner. Better still I may just unfollow you, so you are one minion down la la la la!
On a serious note I too have danced the Dance of Depression and still dancing but to a lesser degree. It is an illness you would not wish on your worse enemy, it is worse than cancer because it robs you of hope. And without hope life is unbearable.
I am manic depressive, so I go up and down… and I don’t have any pictures of you to do silly stuff with.
Oh that’s easy …
nothing is easy with me
You only have to ask Arthur
no… you only have to ask
awwwwwwwwwwwwwww
cheers on the review, i never thought i would hear such seriousness for you… i see pouringmyartout in a whole new light…
I have my moments… thanks.
Reblogged this on thisoldtoad and commented:
i would thank for that visit, which seems so long ago. You touch thisoldtoad.com from there i’ve follow you through dare i say, had no idea… Please be strong continue on, i’ve grown to love and care about you and your writing, right from the very first poem i stoled… You have directed me towards poetry, which i now find as passion. i like to think, as time moves i improve, however truly don’t want to forget the beginning when i first looked into who is HastyWords…
Toad your words mean a lot to me. We have a good history and I’m happy that poetry found you because you wrote beautifully.
there you go
This is a touching review. I know depression all too well a battle I fight and today refuse to write too many of my boo hoo poems and i do have many.
You should get to know Hastywords!!!
Come find me and let’s slay the monster in a duet together 🙂
I was following but unless I adjust my reader I don’t get emails. Its adjusted now so you will hear me.
Yay. Email me if you want to write. Hartywords@gmail.com
Ok. I’m on kindle about to go to sleep. 11:30 pm here.
Did you see her email???
here we go
This could be an awesome thing
YES!!!
Yes. Now I’m really logging off.
you got her email?
Reblogged this on hastywords and commented:
I asked Arthur Browne with Pouring My Art out to write a book review for me and he did more than that. There is so much love and support in the post I could literally feel it hugging me. I know it’s a mushy way to describe it but it is how it felt. I don’t feel like the same person that wrote that book so I sort of felt like I was standing along side him cheering this person on. I can’t thank him enough with words for the beautiful book review. Thank you for your friendship, it would be a boring blogosphere without you! 🙂
Arthur,
This was far more than I expected in a review, it was touching and I am at a loss for words. I am better today than I was in the pages of that book and I believe that is because I have made so many friends here in the blog-o-sphere that encourage me and love me. Thank you for all those amazing words and paragraphs and….
I am going to re-blog but I need time to let all this love sink in. I feel like those words should be of someone way more talented and more deserving than I am…thank you! Writing makes me feel important too, it gives me a voice when I never really felt like I deserved one.
You and my friends may have created a monster because I feel sort of amazing, invincible, and like I can do anything.
I love you, your words, your blog, and your friendship.
XoXo
yay… I didn’t do a link right to the book, but we can add that if you tell me how
You don’t have to but I will tell you how because it useful to know for all kinds of things. As you are writing your post go to the picture you like…any picture and add media just like you do for all your other pictures.
Go to the website you want people to land on when they click on the picture and copy the URL Web address.
Next go back to your post and click on the chain link in your toolbar…then paste the URL there and hit save.
Now when people click on a picture that chain link directs people to the right web page 🙂
ummm… ok… thanks… I will try that some day when I feel smart… I did link to your blog, so they will be able to find the book, right?
right 🙂
I am such a nimrod
No your not lol you are amazingly clever with the cool things
I will have to settle for that, I guess.
Hasty is an incredible poet!
Can I pay you to say that everyday? 🙂
Hell, I’ll do it for free!
you go, boy
we all think it every day
Group hug 🙂
yay
oh yeah she is