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From the very start, Taogoi drew me in with her introduction about the inspiration behind 1100 Miles. Her collection is a poetic documentation about along the Pacific Crest Trail and how she uses this voyage to also unpack personal issues, including sexual assault and the passing of her grandmother, along the way.
1100 Miles is divided into three parts - Leap into the Unknown, Truly Free, and Glory of the Wild - all excellent subtitles in my opinion. No long poems here, Taogoi gets right to the point with mostly micro-poems and chronological dates as their titles. Don't be fooled by their concision, each piece packs a punch and forces the reader to mull over its meaning and its depth.

My Review
The first part, Leap into the Unknown, certainly has the feel of a wanderer. It feels like she is searching and reaching and questioning in an attempt to understand herself, her world and her past. She's scared to go down into the basement of her memories but she braves it anyway with such impressive brevity. Each poem is presented as a specific vivid scene of that day. Taogoi's words seem to have deeper connotations than the more overt surface meaning. She mixes the beauty of nature with the intensity of trauma for a very unique journey for the reader to endure.

3 - 4 - 2019
Higher than the helicopters
Painted Ladies flutter, blanketing
Mountain sides as the
Desert wildflowers blooms

The second section, Truly Free, is packed with sensuality. She talks about yearning for touch and comfort and love. The sweet honeymoon stage of a new love followed by the inevitable first disappointing let down, followed by holding on to a relationship that has turned. Then the obvious heartbreak that follows and eventually finding the latent poise in yourself again. There is more growth and empowerment in this section.

4 - 15 - 2019
I want you to
Touch me everywhere
and often
Take me
Until my heart
Softens

The third section, Glory of the Wind, is more reflective with notes of finality and release. It gives the essence of finally coming into oneself, coming home, and enjoying life and love again. She feels at one with nature and herself and her past. After rummaging through painful memories and constant rejection, she is ready to welcome a new healthier chapter. She ends the book with many words of wisdom, lessons she's learned and words of encouragement. Overall a very thoughtful and well organized collection of poetry.

7 - 7 - 2019
You have the choice
Focus on the
Devastation of the past or
The beauty that grows from it
Today
I choose
New-growth

My Final Thoughts
One of my favorite parts about this collection is how easily Taogoi taps into the senses with carefully arranged words that trigger a sensory response. At the same time, she slips in relatable thoughts that give pause. I am a huge fan of poetry you can chew and this book is full of chewy pieces!

5 - 4 - 2019
Treated like a bad omen
Since I'm an alternative woman
Can't I belong to me
And still be part of the team?
Another favorite part about this collection is the mood. From the beginning, it feels like Taogoi is taking the reader on a journey by documenting the introspective moments she has each day. We get to see glimpses of her mind and her vivid, compelling thoughts as she makes her way along the Pacific Crest Trail. I find myself looking forward to the next day to see which thought was significant enough to sum up her day, yet leave me wondering what else could have influenced her words. Most of her poems rhyme which gives it an added and most welcomed lyrical feel.
I have so many favorite pieces from this collection and I wish I could share every last one of them! In all, this is a very thorough project. It is introspective, engaging, moody and loaded with quotable pieces. It is tempting to read it all in one go, but I suggest taking your time to think on some of the poems that give you pause.