Soft Thorns- How a Rose Bleeds and Heals
Poems are not for everyone but Bridget Devoue’s ‘Soft Thorns’ might change your mind. Almost a confession, it consists of concise, easily readable, and tender passages. The poetry collection is divided into five chapters: bleed, love, scar, learn and heal which mirror the stages of heartbreak and loss.
What to Expect?
Devoue inks her most confidential thoughts onto blank pages. In the epigraph, she explicitly states that her ‘meaningless groups of letters’ are given sense due to brave readers. The collection transverses the hurdles and struggles modern women face. She talks about sexism, oppression, independence, and courage. ‘Soft Thorns’ takes readers on a journey from wounds to scars. At one point, she proclaims that ‘scars may fade but they last forever’. Therefore, perhaps it is better to learn how to live with them rather than ignoring them.
Chapter One
Bleed, the first chapter expounds on the dark, hidden angles of life. Sexual assault, doubtful feelings, insecurities, and dying self-esteem breathe within these pages. While going through this section, readers will pity and even relate to the author’s experiences. It’s difficult not to show sympathy for the author’s troublesome past. The best line from this section reads:
beauty is a curse/ the rose knows well// /always picked first/ yet never a chance to grow//.
Chapter Two
Next, ‘love’ gives brief details about the author’s love life. She reminisces how past lovers labeled her as ‘hopeless romantic’ and why she understood other’s needs. The poetry is more genial than the previous segment, making the readers’ hearts soar. It is fluffy and light; promoting feelings of goodwill and kindness to Devoue. In this fragment of ‘Soft Thorns’, falling in love becomes a communal experience, shared by the author and reader.
bridgette devoue – soft thorns pic.twitter.com/DwJzRExX4n
— 𝓫𝓸𝓷 ☾ (@bonnie_mcmalo) April 18, 2020
Chapter Three
Scar comes after love, just like every love story. In this part of ‘Soft Thorns’, Bridgett proves her exquisite writing abilities by making the readers mourn for her loss and their own. She illustrates the hardships couples face—the constant pull and push in every relationship. The most moving line reads ‘you fell in love with my fire so why are you trying to pull out my flame?’ Devoue mentions that love leaves scars that haunt our future experiences. It can sometimes be hard to open up about them but it’s a necessary step to a happier life.
Chapter Four
No matter how old or wise we become, we can always learn something new. Here, Devoue portrays how every single experience stimulates mistakes and errors. Learning from our mistakes transforms us into better humans; it shows our willingness to improve and become more humane. This section illuminates the slip-ups the author committed and advises the readers to embrace their faults as well. Besides, no one is perfect but each human is unique—limited edition. Of course, there is no one like us in the future nor the past. Therefore, to grow into the best version of ourselves, we need to embrace our faults.
Chapter Five
‘Heal’ is the last chapter. ‘Love is a necessary tragedy’ says Devoue encouraging readers to open up. Perhaps the most important phase, poems in this section reminds readers how powerful they are and the difference they can make in their stories. Consequently, the author provokes readers to get out of their comfort zones and fight for what they believe in. My favorite line from this section of ‘Soft Thorns’ is ‘only you can make yourself a victim’.
Give it a Shot!
Finally, those of you who do not like poems, do not fear. The poems are more like short dialogues. Any reader can understand them. The vocabulary and diction are simple. Therefore, the only prerequisite is to have an open heart and mind. Together, we learn how to bleed and heal.
Let us know if you’ve read ‘Soft Thorns’. We’d love to hear what you think of it!
Currently, I am a student of Fatima Jinnah Women University. With a burning passion for psychology, words, and dreams, I decided to abandon medical studies for humanities. These days, when I’m not listening to ballads, watching movies, or sitting down with a good novel, I am rigorously studying Hangul (Korean language) to satisfy my obsession for BTS and K dramas. I’m a thinking introvert and INFJ personality. Therefore, I like ‘me time’. My articles typically resonate with psychological well-being advice.
