For author K. L. Champitto, creating a poem is much more than putting pen to paper. Poetry offers a respite of sorts, an outlet to express emotions. “My poetry has let me be more self aware of who I am as a person,” they said when discussing their new poetry collection, Chaotic and Critically Damaged.
This body is no longer a home
But a resting place
For a lost soul
– an excerpt from K. L. Champitto’s, Chaotic and Critically Damaged
Champitto first started writing poetry at the age of 16 after listening to spoken word poetry videos on Youtube. They realized the power of crafting prose as a way of making sense of the world around them, a means for connecting with those who read their work.
When asked about the most difficult part of writing poetry, they stated, “I can’t just write to write. I have to have a strong emotional connection to the words I’m writing down.”
The emotion in Champitto’s poems is palpable, each line offering a glimpse into their world — no matter how painful. They draw on their own experiences to offer a welcoming hand to the reader, letting them know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. “I want my readers to feel less alone, to know they aren’t the only ones fighting this battle,” Champitto shares.
I was told to be happy
To see nothing but blue skies
But blue is also the color of rain
And there is much more beauty in the storm
– an excerpt from K. L. Champitto’s, Chaotic and Critically Damaged
This raw emotion and nuanced understanding of self are the backbone of Champitto’s new collection of poems. Each word acts as an extension of Champitto themself, taking the reader on a journey through the good and the bad things that can happen to all of us.
“The inspiration behind my collection is the trauma and healing I’ve gone through in my life,” Champitto said about the inspiration behind the collection. “Everything written in the collection comes from a place of pure vulnerability and honesty of how my mind works.”
I inherited my brown eyes
From my mother
My quiet from my father
And my laughter from my sister
I inherited my tears from the sky
Because maybe it wasn't blue enough
Or maybe I just couldn’t see it
My parents may have given me bad eyes
But it was the world that made me blind
– an excerpt from K. L. Champitto’s, Chaotic and Critically Damaged
As the reader enters Champitto’s world with each line of prose, they are met with sharply written anecdotes on overcoming trauma and gaining a better understanding of one’s own identity.
“My hope is to have readers connect with my story and find their own voice within the collection. I want to be able to make a difference with my experiences and my words, and to help people.”
This sense of service makes Chaotic and Critically Damaged at times a memoir and other times a roadmap for overcoming the obstacles life can throw at you. Champitto navigates the heaviness with ease, infusing each poem with humanity. In turn, the reader can find solace in the pages of Chaotic with Champitto offering a reminder that being damaged does not mean one is broken.
Chaotic and Critically Damaged will be published in early 2021 by Nymeria Publishing. You can visit nymeriapublishing.com and follow @nymeriapublishing on social media for updates about Chaotic’s release.