Margo LaPierre’s latest poetry collection, Ajar is a remarkable and courageous exploration of mental illness, trauma and survival through a distinctly poetic lens. From the very first glance, the book captivates readers with its gorgeous, evocative cover, an image that feels like a visual invitation into the vivid and deeply intimate world within. Yet what lies beyond the cover is just as compelling: a collection of poems that explore, with unwavering honesty, the lived experience of bipolar disorder, psychosis and the journey of healing from gendered violence.
Through her meticulous use of language, she captures not only what it means to live with mental illness but also what it means to survive and, at times, transcend it.
LaPierre’s poetic voice is bold, rich in metaphor and emotionally resonant. She writes with both clarity and complexity, offering readers a window into moments of profound vulnerability and transformation. Through her meticulous use of language, she captures not only what it means to live with mental illness but also what it means to survive and, at times, transcend it. Her use of simile, metaphor, and sensory imagery is both evocative and original. In one particularly striking example, she writes:
“The grapefruit is heavy as a breast in my hands, at the sink faucet’s stream. I am here, weighing the thin chain of my life and washing my breakfast.”
In these lines, a simple daily routine is filled with feelings and deeper thoughts about life. Everyday details combined with thought-provoking ideas are a consistent strength throughout the collection.
LaPierre also offers profound insights into the experience of psychosis and alter