A Comprehensive Review by Kiera Bird

In response to the review of 'A Night Without Armor' that you'll find by clicking the following link.

Rambles reviews:   A Night Without Armor   by Audrey M. Clark

I was outraged when I read it. The snobbish attitude the author of this review holds is contemptible for someone who teaches English. I aspire to be an English and literature teacher myself one day and am working towards that. When I see the hard nosed opinions on poetry from someone who has such an influence over young minds, it makes my blood boil.

I do not have a gripe against the author of this review but I do think that is it extremely unprofessional to look at Jewel's book of poetry in the same light as the master poets we all know and love. Jewel published this book out of demand from her fans. She uses poetry to build her imagination, experience, thoughts and emotions into words that only matter to her. It is her own personal expression, her medium to vent, the share and mature.

As a poet, I understand the time, the courage and the emotional effort it takes to put pen to paper and express through words. I write as a form of healing, a form of joyous expression and of love of the English language. How words can meld so beautifully together makes me appreciate my speech every day. What I do NOT appreciate, is supposed 'know-it-alls' who can't see the wood for the trees. In saying that, I mean, they can't see the beauty beyond the grammar and political correctness.

Reading through this great book of art, you can see Jewel in different stages of her life and travel with her maturity. You, as the reader, become the follower and companion that she takes along with the ride. You can more than just imagine the surroundings she describes, you become part of them. You don't just read the emotions held within the words, scattered on the pages, you feel them. The poems grab you, they digest you.

I have decided to pinpoint some areas of her review, and offer my opinion in order to provide the alternative argument.

"Jewel changes attitudes throughout the book almost as if she is changing clothes or hairstyles."

The reviewer has implied that Jewel has contradicted herself. If we are to take into account that Jewel has written these poems over many years throughout her teenage years and beyond, is Jewel therefore not allowed to change her mind on how she feels about certain things? Is she not allowed to have an opinion so strong at one stage in her life only to find that further maturing and perhaps, education has led her to a different conclusion? That is merely myopic of the reviewer to assume that everyone, especially during their teenage years, adheres to the same beliefs, understanding and feelings on anything, throughout their lives.

Everyone has their flaws, Jewel is human too, and thus not infallible and so mistakes and contradictions can be expected of any poet in this context. In this case, I feel the reviewer of her book unfairly judged her, not taking into consideration the fundamentals of human nature.

There is such a thing as poetic licence. This is where grammar, political correctness and even spelling can be considered redundant. Why then, has the reviewer taken it upon herself not to include poetic licence as a factor by which the poetry was written?

"Although Jewel claims to have been influenced by such songwriter/poets as Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan and Tom Waits, her poetry lacks the power and lyrical inventiveness that those writers possess."

At no point has Jewel ever claimed to have the 'power and lyrical inventiveness' that her influenced poets have. One can be inspired to write but not claim to be equal to or better than those that invoke that inspiration. I think this is a ridiculous comment.

"A Night without Armor is nothing more than a glossy photograph of Jewel's life, filled with (imagined?) loneliness and heartbreak."

Can the reviewer prove that these poetically inspired topics are 'imagined'? There is no rule to write in the first person about loneliness and heartbreak experienced by that of someone else. She wishes to express her interpretations. There is nothing wrong with that.

"In "Tai Pei," for example, Jewel bemoans the fact that she "is adored by millions / but no one calls." This self-conscious examination of her own psyche comes across as vain, in most instances."

I do not agree with this statement. My interpretation of these words say to me the Jewel is trying to be honest with the world on how she feels. Millions adore her but they are not her close personal friends. We all know that it is common in the celebrity world to feel terribly lonely even when surrounded by adorning fans. Jewel is just getting that message across.

"or are simply tossed into a poem because they sound nice"

I wonder do artists add parts to a painting for the joy of others to see, merely for their beauty and not out of the image that conjured up in their minds upon being inspired.

"Jewel's admiration of her own breasts extends to her writing abilities; many of these poems are used as vehicles for Jewel's ego, without the skill and authority to make such statements effective."

I have to agree that Jewel does have an affectionate affinity towards her own breasts. As a woman, I do not share this egotistical admiration from my breasts but I cannot judge her for loving her own. I also agree that they are used as 'vehicles for Jewel's ego' but I don't see that as negative. There are some things described in her poetry that make my stomach churn. There are also some poems that I do not have any thought or feeling for. That is to be expected of all poetry books, regardless of author.

I would now like to demonstrate where Jewel makes wonderful impacts in her artistry from this book with several extracts as follows.

'As a Child I walked'

This poem is beautifully written in it's entirety but I will highlight the more significant lines:

I'd sit on logs like pulpits / listen to the sermon / of sparrows / and find god in Simplicity, / there amongst the dandelion / and thorn

I feel warmth of feeling and oneness with earth in this poem. Jewel gives me the impression of innocence yet appreciation for her surroundings at a very young age. It breathes respect for nature and the words are used metaphorically with perfection.

'Bukowsky's widow'

"me with nothing but / word to keep me warm"

This is Jewel's own expression of what writing means to her. It is simple, yet effective in its statement.

'Lost'

"Alone / is a reminder / of how far / acceptance / is from / understanding"

Here Jewel makes a very bold and beautifully scripted metaphor for the word Alone. When I read this stanza for the first time, my mind felt like a light bulb went on with the comprehension of this statement. It is very profound yet so simply defined. Distinct evidence of her amazing understanding of the human condition that many spend a lifetime trying to achieve.

'Spivey Leaks'

"Spivey Leaks was a drip of a man. / He looked like a potato shoved into jeans"

I used this extract to demonstrate how Jewel lends poetry to music. These very lines were used in a verse from a song 'Everybody Needs Someone Sometimes'. Poetry needs only music and it can instantly become a song. As Jewel says herself in the Preface, "… poetry drives my song writing today". Songs can be seen as musical poetry but this proves that Jewel actively connects the two.

'Red Roof Inn, Boston'

"get restless then shave / my armpits with you razor / and cheap hotel soap"

In this poem, Jewel describes her unbearable pain to be without 'you, dear'. Though crude in its imagery, this stanza demonstrates closeness with this person, the need to be close to them, to use their belongings in their absence. You can feel love in this poem but it is clouded by simple words that hold a more powerful meaning. These few examples are just a fraction of the wonderful talent that Jewel emanates through this book. I feel that the review that this article was inspired, was obscured by grammar and spelling. Poetry has a lot to do with love of a language, love of understanding and an open mind. One must be prepared for the honesty that is portrayed in them, even if they are not experienced in reality by the author.

So I close with an extract straight from Jewel's preface:

"Poetry is the most honest and immediate art form that I have found, it is raw and unfiltered. It is a vital, creative expression and deserves to find greater forums, to be more highly valued, understood, and utilized in our culture and in our lives. There is such wonderful poetry in the world that wants to be given voice. My hope is to help inspire an appreciation and expression of the voice" Couldn't have said it better myself!