By Heber Guerra-Recinos
You know how, typically speaking, when you read a book, you just hold it in your hands, sitting in a position that gets uncomfortable after a while, and you don’t necessarily move? The only thing that isn’t static are your eyes, and occasionally your hands, to turn the pages. Well, Meissner’s comix poetry zine [sic] is not like that.
Within the first few pages, Meissner has designed the book in a way that forces you (as I found myself doing) to turn the book on its side, to bring it closer to your already-bad eyes and take a moment to read everything that she’s written,
The book does not have a single, coherent “plot.” Instead, it’s made up of a bunch of smaller pockets of stories, from Meissner’s experiences of friends, mental health, writing, art, encouragement for fellow writers and artists, and more. The comics and zines are created via hand drawn images and printed poems, all meshed together like mashed potatoes and peas. The drawings themselves are quaint, and not very polished in some aspects, but I feel that that adds heart behind it. Additionally, some of the comics are so packed full of detail that it really makes you stop and inspect everything so you do not miss any of it.
Some of the meanings or (personal) interpretations of the comics were lost on me, but it was still a genuine treat to get a new, fresh perspective on a number of events and experiences. My favorite of them all was Meissner’s little rant “So, Am I a Writer Yet?” It hits home to the nature of the creative process as a writer and artist. My favorite lines come from the poem “How I Got Out:” I was honest with myself / that I was depressed and I didn’t try / to cover it up or run away. Drawing / allowed me to give my feelings and brain / a break and get lost in the / meditation.”
As Meissner describes in the beginning of the book, it’s intended to be shared with others, so that’s what I’m doing here. Make sure you purchase your own copy at her personal website: http://www.caitsmeissner.com/shop/pep-talks-for-broken-people-zine
A small bio from her website: Caits Meissner is the author of the illustrated hybrid poetry book Let It Die Hungry (The Operating System, 2016). Her latest projects include the DIY comix poetry zine Pep Talks For Broke(n) People and a comix vignette series, New York Strange, publishing monthly in Hobart journal throughout 2020. She currently is the inaugural Palette Poetry Second Book Fellow and spends her days as the Prison and Justice Writing Program Director at PEN America.
100 Books of Solitude 