It was barely over twelve moons ago when Savannah Brown broadcasted a clip entitled ‘forming real human connections? sounds fake but ok’ that has captured the attention of nearly half a million viewers, resonating deeply with her substantial subscriber base. In this candid piece, she fuses the casual tone of a vlog with her trademark lyricism, a distinctive hallmark echoing throughout her spoken word performances. The cheeky title suggests a play on both content and execution – in her signature style, Brown wrestles privately with the elusive quest for profound, enduring human bonds, a journey of both ironic detachment and profound sincerity (an intriguing notion akin to the concept of metamodernism). After a glance into her own past, she candidly shares her struggles in creating truly meaningful connections – the unquenchable, raw appetite for human intimacy, illustrated by thoughts like, “How many of you out there could I possibly adore?”
For those remaining skeptics, she simplifies her life’s ambition: to be bathed in affection, both to give and receive an immense amount, and to spend life not only relishing solitude but also in the genuine fellowship of others who, too, stare out the window at life’s perplexing journey to the unknown, trying to grasp even an inkling of others’ thoughts. Against the gentle strums of Portland’s Fox Academy, she expresses this connection with an enigmatic whisper before playfully circling back to a self-referential quip marking her video’s bold beginning.
In a mere ten-minute span, a seemingly low-key chat morphs into an abyss of existential contemplation. Yet, paradoxically, the medium that hosts the video – with its community-driven culture – has the power to transform the message itself. The interactive nature of the internet, often considered an impersonal barrier, is here perhaps the key to bridging distances, fostering engagement through comments and social exchanges. Brown’s digital history is well-established; a prior viral response to a controversial vlog added to her online repertoire, which includes the publication of an evocative young adult thriller and a pair of poetry collections. The heartfelt reception of her work is an ode to the shared emotions it stirs within its audience – a testament evident in the heartrending comments that stand as a rare oasis of warmth within the internet’s cold expanse.
Announcing her sophomore poetic work, Sweetdark – a successor to her initial foray Graffiti (and other poems) – amid the emergence of a global crisis, Brown offers an anthology that, while not strictly pandemic-driven, inevitably echoes a present permeated by notions of demise and upheaval. Both Brown and indie musician Phoebe Bridgers release compelling creations that, while predated by their equally macabre debut works, find a novel resonance amidst contemporary chaos – their artistic expressions ultimately portraying an apocalypse with a nuanced blend of hope and dismay.
Sweetdark weaves a rich tapestry of human sentiment, exploring the conundrums of existence with vibrancy. The collection does not merely vacillate between darkness and sweetness but rather encapsulates their coexistence. The poems illuminate an intensifying yearning to grasp the ungraspable, to savor the infinity of being despite our apparent insignificance. This timeless struggle finds a voice in the haunting dichotomy of absence and presence, of the vast and the intimate. Brown layers her writing with the gravity of countless tomorrows and the recurring ache for connection, daring us to immerse ourselves in both the terror and the allure of the unknown.
Caught within the fleetingness of eternity, the first section of Sweetdark reminisces a youthful and zestful spirit. Amidst poems that celebrate the ephemeral joys of existence are moments of poignant tranquility, each serving as an artifact within the infinite spectrum of being. These verses trace the contours of love, presence, and the embrace of the moment, navigating towards the climactic reckoning of one’s place amid vastness. Questions of purpose, belonging, and the marvels of existence reverberate through the lines, echoing a dialogue with the cosmos.
Beyond the tumultuous seas of dread, wonder stands as the collection’s nucleus; an expanse of awe for life’s capacity to love, lose, and linger on the nuanced threads of humanity. Sweetdark, as it progresses, becomes an homage to the collective spirit, echoing that though each personal journey through it is distinct, there is an underlying, shared visceral humanity.
As the trilogy of poetry culminates, it juxtaposes apocalyptic imagery with intimate recollections, encapsulating a metamodern stance – an incessant quest towards perpetually shifting horizons. Brown’s confessional oeuvre doesn’t merely philosophize but resonates with an earnest ache that transcends the individual experience. The conclusion of Sweetdark reveals a longing for legacy, a yearning for assurance that the traces of our existence, our fleeting magnificence, will be noticed, cherished, remembered.
Savannah Brown’s Sweetdark can be acquired here.