Knots is a short, simple but deeply profound book. It explores the core thoughts and emotions behind human interactions and succeeds at delivering a painfully truthful portrayal of what everybody thinks before they speak. It is considered "pyschology poetry" which I whole-heartedly agree with. The poems within this anthology are extremely repetitive and end up going around and around in seemingly pointless circles. However, these circles begin to show clarity. Within the repetition after repetition, everything becomes so blindingly clear. Laing has a spectacular way of explaining the unexplainable thoughts we hold about others and what we believe they are thinking. These states of mind and passing musings are always present in our minds but Knots is the first time I have managed to find them captured on paper.
First delving into this poetry book is difficult. The sentences and stanzas refuse to make sense unless they are read several times first. But once you get into the style and mind frame of the writer, everything suddenly clicks into place. The ridiculous and tenuous style of writing is made that much more interesting because it is true. This is how we think. We mull over any and every possible iteration of a situation, whether consciously or unconsciously. As someone who often finds themselves lost deep in my thoughts, this book opened a door of realism and understanding where it was satisfying to finally find something that empathised with my mind.
This book doesn't necessarily hold any moral outlook. It doesn't exactly hold a plot, a message or a commentary. Nevertheless, the feeling I was left with after I finished was entirely rewarding by finding sense in this nonsense book. This is one of the most unconventional but mentally exciting poetry books I've ever read and has encouraged me to look at things from a different perspective. I can't recommend it enough.
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