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In her poetry collection “Home,” Whitney Hanson develops a collection that explores the nuances of love, grief and healing. Though the collection is advertised as focusing on peace, identity and direction with a median of heartbreak, it was much more than that. She used her journey and experiences, with each poem a checkpoint.

Starting in the first segment, “Losing” exhibits the depravity that the narrator experiences, as heartbreak and grief can be found in each line. Constant questioning and confusion are common themes throughout the poems, with a central concept being that letting go was too much to bear.

In the next segment, “Lost,” the theme of misplacement is prominent. The narrator seemingly longs for what was while feeling out of place. Emotions such as sadness and pain are prominent as the narrator expresses being stuck in the past. The sensation of being stuck in the past causes the narrator to be stuck in trying to move forward or not move at all.

In the third segment, “Flying,” the narrator begins to journey into the realm of understanding. Discovering more about themselves, they realize how black-and-white situations can be once they are out of that place.

In the final segment, “Home,” the narrator understands that the healing process isn’t linear. It will have ups and downs, which is implied through the idea of rivers and the ocean. More importantly, she redefines what “home” is relative to healing: a place to rest rather than an end goal.

Whitney Hanson published this collection that embellished part of her college experience. This collection was centered around ongoing feelings while going through the trivial college time.

Establishing the word choice implies the importance of each word. The repetition of certain lines attempts to drive a message that isn’t being told directly. The narrator can express the discomfort of the healing process and moments of doubt.

Rating: 3.5/5 Spinnaker sails

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