Book Review: Violet Bent Backwards over the Grass
Cover from Amazon.
Lari Li
Singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey’s debut book Violet Bent Backwards over the Grass was published in 2020. This collection consists of 30 poems, haikus, and photographs. It’s her first spoken album as well—although you can’t find it on Spotify, it’s available as an audiobook.
Usually, I’m not one for newer poetry. I’m always a little scared and skeptical when I pick one up. But like her music, this book truly understands.
Roots
The first poem, “Violet Bent Backwards over the Grass,” introduces readers to the origins and inspiration behind the title and overarching themes of her collection.
“I went to a party
I came in hot
made decisions beforehand
my mind made up
things that would make me happy
to do them or not
each option weighed quietly
a plan for each thought
But then i walked through the door
past the open concept
and saw Violet
bent backwards over the grass
7 years old with dandelions grasped
tightly in her hands
arched like a bridge in a fallen handstand
grinning wildly like a madman
with the exuberance that only doing nothing can bring
waiting for the fireworks to begin
and in that moment
i decided to do nothing about everything
Forever.”
Upon seeing 7-year-old Violet, carefree and happy, Del Rey feels freed from the shackles of “musts” and definitives in her life. The rest of Del Rey’s book follows this journey of finding herself and freeing herself from the made-up borders and limits in her mind.
Del Rey draws inspiration from novelists like F. Scott Fitzgerald and John Steinbeck as well as her past and experiences with Hollywood.
Themes
Violet Bent Backwards over the Grass is a raw, cinematic exploration of longing, Americana, and the contradictions of fame and femininity. Del Rey is already known for her poetic lyrics and hauntingly beautiful music that lingers. This book marks Lana’s seamless transition from songwriting into the literary world. Still, she definitely had poetic gifts long before her rise in the music industry, as songwriting and poetry go hand-in-hand.
What makes this book compelling is its duality. Lana plays with being a mythic muse, cryptic and melancholy. At other times, she becomes bare, playing with punchy observations and a cynical frankness.
Favorites
I read Violet Bent Backwards over the Grass last summer. I have it pulled up in front of me right now as I try to collect certain lines, and my favorites really stuck. They really are unforgettable and I know exactly where to go.
Here are some of my favorite lines that I think everyone can relate to.
From “Tessa DiPietro”
“No one ever touched me without wanting to kill me
except for a healer on 6th Street and Ridgeley
Tessa DiPietro recommended casually
by a medium i no longer know
She said my number one problem was my field was untrusting
when asked what to do she paused and said
nothing
which sent me right into uncontrollable sobbing
because there’s never anything you can do about the important
things”
From “SportCruiser”
“And everything was going fine we were starting with dips and
loops. And then something terrible happened-
during my fourth lesson in the sky, my instructor younger than i but as tough as you- instructed me to do a
simple maneuver. It’s not that i didn’t do it but i was
slow to lean the SportCruiser into a right hand upward turn.
Scared. Scared that i would lose control of the plane
Not tactfully and not gently the instructor shook his head
and without looking at me said, “you don’t trust yourself.”
I was horrified. Feeling as though I had somehow been found out.
Like he knew me- how weak i was
Of course he was only talking about my ability as a pilot
in the sky. But i knew it was meant for me to hear those words.
for me they held a deeper meaning.
I didn’t trust myself
not just 2500 ft above the coast of Malibu
but with anything. And i didnt trust you”
“Because captains aren’t like poets
they don’t make metaphors between the sea and sky.
And as I thought that to myself
I realized-
that's why I write.”
From “happy”
“People think that i’m rich and i am but not how they think
i have a truck with a gold key chain in the ignition
and on the back it says: happy joyous and free
happy
and when i drive
i think about the last time my friends were driving with me
how the radio was so loud that we couldn’t hear the words
so we became the music
happy
They write that i’m rich and i am but not how they think
i have a safe i call the boyfriend box
and in it every saved receipt
every movie theater ticket just to remind me
of all the things i’ve loved and lost and loved again
unconditionally”
Physicals
The printed book is a wonderful addition to any library; a gorgeous orange tree on the cover with beautiful polaroid-like pictures on the inside that add to the rawness and dreaminess of the collection. With Lana’s typewritten lines on sepia-toned paper, the book itself is scrapbook-like and vintage, making it feel closer to the reader.
The 39-minute accompanying audiobook contains music by Grammy-winning producer Jack Antonoff, elevating the listening experience, adding mood and rhythm to Lana’s hypnotic voice. Her emotional voice is accompanied with soft piano chords, an occasional saxophone riff, and ambience of the ocean.
Thoughts
Violet Bent Backwards over the Grass was a fairly quick read for me. Lana’s words reached me almost instantly. Her openness and vulnerability with her readers make it so that there’s not much translation or interpretation required. If you have an hour to spare in your day, or even just a couple minutes for a week, you’ll have consumed the book for all it is in no time.
Overall, Violet Bent Backwards over the Grass is a manifestation of this generation’s complex relationship with art, love, and self image. It drips with emotion and nostalgia, with poems exuding emotions for every life experience imaginable. You’d think Lana’s lived a hundred lives with the relatability and artistry she projects.
Sources: Lana Del Rey - Violet Bent Backwards Over the Grass Lyrics and Tracklist | Genius
