Welcome to day 26 of the Daily Aftershock.

Today I want you to know that embodiment can elevate your poetry beyond belief.

What I mean by that, is the body is a language in itself and it remembers before the mind does.

You can think of the body's betrayals and loyalties as powerful poetic ground.

Did your hands stay still when you wanted to move them? Did your mouth open when it should have stayed shut?

Sometimes the body is the metaphor. But sometimes metaphor dilutes what's raw. Ask yourself, do I really need to compare this to something else, or is the trembling in my hip, already enough?

Think about ending in the body, too, in poetry.

So don't escape into the abstract at the end, but stay grounded instead.

Where does the poem live now, right now? In the palms? The jaw maybe, or perhaps walking away?

By bringing poems back to the body, you create a space that is entirely yours, but also entirely universal.

Thanks for reading The Aftershock Review! This post is public so feel free to share it.

The Aftershock Review is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aftershockpoetry.substack.com/subscribe