“I will ask for mercy” is a poignant reflection on resilience through the lens of grief. Through this collection of lyrics and lyrical prose, the speaker takes the reader on an illustrated journey with watercolor paintings, line art, and QR codes that if scanned you will access a soundtrack of classical songs. The most prevalent themes in this collection are the pursuit of artistic self-discovery, the surrender to the human experience, and the correspondence of feelings between a variety of characters. What is most remarkable about “I will ask for mercy” is the overwhelming sensitivity and optimism in this journey. The speaker’s struggles are at most human and universal to the sometimes incapacitating challenges the reader might be faced with. From the recklessly brave decision to follow your dreams to the uncomfortable but necessary confrontation with mortality, this collection speaks to a wide variety of highly emotional and heartfelt experiences.
As previously stated one of the main themes of this collection is the journey of artistic self-discovery. There are three key elements that portray the complex relationship between art and the artist in “I will ask for mercy”. The first element is the admiration of art and artists alike, the comradery and companionship we feel when we surround ourselves with like-minded individuals. This is prevalent in “To writers, to poets, to actors, and musicians.”, “Rain of roses and beer”, “Never leave me”, “To the phenomenal woman” and “The pigeon standing on one leg”. The speaker explores the murder of the artistic ego through this concept of admiration, as the separation between the creator and consumer of art gets smaller in every writing. At the beginning of the collection, the speaker feels unable to call themselves an artist due to what appears a lack of perspective in comparison to others. However, as the book moves forward the speaker learns to show their point of view in an honest and vulnerable form worth being called an artist’s work.
The second theme prevalent in this collection is the surrender to all natural human experiences, and the resilience to maintain composure regardless of any issue. This theme particularly focuses on the challenge to be open to vulnerability and the honest expression of emotions. An example of this in “I will ask for mercy” is the practice to express anger and sadness with painful specificity. The needed contrast to such openness is an appreciation of the beauty of the world around us. This
allows the speaker to look beyond the hardships of the human experience and still feel fulfilled and present. This is especially relevant with the positive confrontation with mortality. In “I will ask for mercy”, the passage of time reminds us of the pressure to spend life wisely and forces us to surrender to whatever that life has in store for us.
Lastly, “I will ask for mercy” entails a compilation of letters and stories that detail the complexity of human relationships in the midst of coming of age. The stories of admiration such as “Elena’s monologue” and “Some call her a hero” portray the strength of femininity and the value of fighting for what one believes in. The letters of farewell, on the other hand, explore the bittersweet and painful concept of parting from someone. They deal with the grief and in some cases the trauma resulting from a complex relationship such as the ones described here. The letters of hope, describe the private monologue between a thinker and the ecosystem they experience as well as address many of the uncertainties of this day and age.
“I will ask for mercy” is a call for vulnerability and kinship. In the case of the speaker, art is the loyal companion that enables this surrender. However, through this collection, the speaker wishes to hold the space for anyone to truly reflect on how they can heal from the overwhelming powerlessness and give in to a more vulnerable and carefree lifestyle. All this through the gratitude and appreciation of the world surrounding the speaker.
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