"Violet Bent Backwards Over the Grass" Hardcover Poetry Book - Post-Release Discussion Thread

[Beautiful Loser 49,279]

On 7/12/2021 at 10:12 PM, PeroxidePrincess said:

Thoughts on Rachel Oates's video?

I don't think I'll watch it all tonight since the video is very long (and she's been focusing at least 15-20 minutes on only the pictures and photos) but

I think she has some good points, and some I don't agree with. Feeling disappointed to find out that the good-looking photographs werent' taken by Lana when it clearly says in the book that they're not taken by her is... eh. I mean, you can kinda tell they're taken by a professional and that Lana's are most likely snapped on her phone. I don't really think Lana's photos are the best either, but I can accept them because I think she wants to share everyday moments of her life. Especially, California but not the Hollywood version of it with all the glamour.
And the author portrait was taken with her phone as a selfie, no doubt. Again, I think it was a consious decision and, I mean, thinking back to some of the cover arts of her singles... Yes, she's a millionaire and could hire a real photographer to take her portrait. But, I guess it wouldn't match the more down-to-earth, somewhat fragile story she's telling in her poems. You think that I'm rich, and I am, but not how you think.
Doesn't mean that I don't dislike the photo though. I was really disappointed when I saw it.

And I don't know anything about the publisher, but I think it was kinda rude to not assume that Lana has written and re-written some of her poems to create a better version of them.

I agree with her about fillers though. It's fun to look at her notes, but they're not always necessary, and the one-page, very minimal lines-poems are some of my least favorites too. I think she had a good point that they might have been better if they had been matched with another photo, one that somewhat matches the poem or contradicts it and makes you think a little. The fillers are kind of what I hope to see less of in the next book.

Now, I haven't watched the entire video, but I was hoping she's mention beat poetry and talk about that since Lana's mentioned in the past about liking it. (and I'm far from an expert on beat poetry, but I think we can see some influences of it in Lana's work here?)

I definitely think she's the wrong audience for the book, which is a bit sad since that could mean that Lana's poetry won't reach others outside the fandom. (which I guess we already knew)

[rightofjupiter 16,657]

i can't believe this has only been out a year?? pandemic time is sludge moving at a snail's pace...anyhow, i love this book & album so very much <3 thanks lana 

[xxmissdaytonaxx 30,078]

only a YEAR??? what the hell? it's been at least two in my mind. 

[Yosemite 23,787]

Thanks to the Locals is still THAT poem. 
Happy 1st Violet! 

[Distantly 3,929]

9 minutes ago, Yosemite said:

Thanks to the Locals is still THAT poem. 
Happy 1st Violet! 

Once I finally read it to the end I was like WOWWWW emotionally it collapsed me Ngl 

[Yosemite 23,787]

4 minutes ago, Distantly said:

Once I finally read it to the end I was like WOWWWW emotionally it collapsed me Ngl 

I love it so much, it’s one of my favs from the book - if not the my favorite. Really wish she included it on the spoken-word record, even though I get why she didn’t 

[NikoGo 61,244]

Happy first birthday to Violet 

 

ive always admired her book, and I’ll die on my hill that Sportscruiser is one of her best works of art. The feelings she described hit so close to home!! 
 

I do wish Violet would have came out at a different time. It being released in September when we were all wanting/expecting chemtrails didn’t do it any favors. 
 

I also feel like the poetry book might seem so much older than it is because Lana was heavily teasing the poems in 2019 before NFR even came out (because she wanted the poetry to come out before Norman)

 

I’m super excited to see what the future holds with her poetry 

[Distantly 3,929]

11 hours ago, Yosemite said:

I love it so much, it’s one of my favs from the book - if not the my favorite. Really wish she included it on the spoken-word record, even though I get why she didn’t 

That’s how I felt too!! Like I wouldn’t LOVED to hear it spoken against some gorgeous instrumental but I’m sure that one would’ve been rough for her to record and give more exposure to

[rightofjupiter 16,657]

https://www.instagram.com/p/CjDlUjNoY9e/ 

 

just saw this– so cool that the book is being translated so widely! still obsessed w this one, need BTOG...

 

[genghis khan 5,110]

On 7/12/2021 at 4:12 PM, Furor Poeticus said:

Thoughts on Rachel Oates's video?

I know your comment is old asf but i can't stand her videos. She likes saying things just for the sake of saying things. Obviously-- how else would critics pay the bills? 

[Furor Poeticus 16,370]

1 hour ago, sexyslutboy said:

I know your comment is old asf but i can't stand her videos. She likes saying things just for the sake of saying things. Obviously-- how else would critics pay the bills? 

It’s OK! 

As much as I enjoy the content Rachel creates, I just disagree with this video (I believe I hadn’t even watched it when I posted it here lol). The comments are even worse lol there was someone accusing Lana of gLoRiYiNg CoNsPiRaCy ThEoRiEs despite COCC and Violet having little in common; the latter mentioning a chemtrail in ONE line 

[honeymoon is alive 21,405]

happy birthday to one of my favorite works of lana love this book so much and the way she recites her poetry on the audiobook is so beautiful and relaxing, it amazes me every time i listen

[mlittle11 12,232]

this project deserves so much more love. i listen to it all the time and always come back to it when i need a calming, light, and thoughtful atmosphere. i love her word choice, voice, and getting more of a look into her thoughts and thought process. this book made me reflect on my life n inspired me to live with a little more mindfulness. it also feels like an extension of the nfr universe which i love.  

 

happy bday violet 

[Honeytrails 2,654]

On 7/12/2021 at 11:12 PM, Furor Poeticus said:

Thoughts on Rachel Oates's video?

i know im like extremely late but you could just feel the jealousy oozing in that video, not that i dont agree with some points of like the picture on the back feeling inauthentic or the amount of fillers it has but you could def feel that she wanted to do what lana did so badly and guess what...

 

she did! 

 

in nov of 2022 she decided to drop her own poetry book, a photo-poetry book to be exact and it was all very reminiscing of what lana tried to do with vbbotg

 

except it wasnt as aesthetically pleasing nor pretty... 

 

again it's not like she didnt have points in that video regarding lana but you could def feel that she wanted to do what she did except it didnt fully align with her vision of things were meant to be made 

 

 

[urgirl 5,748]

Has anyone written in their notes for a poet pages yet??? I’m petrified to 

[Eugene 26,670]

leak Violet instrumentals 

[Beautiful Loser 49,279]

On 8/13/2023 at 8:57 PM, urgirl said:

Has anyone written in their notes for a poet pages yet??? I’m petrified to 

I’m not a poet so… no. They’ll remain pristine. 

[takemybreath 7,312]

happy bday Violet 

[Serena Van Der Woodsen 649]

Happy birthday to Violet Bent Backwards Over The Grass! such a beautiful poem book, i read it lots of times and i still listen to it at night before going to sleep.

I will always remember the times when i brought it with me at school so during break so i could read some of its pages while sitting quietly and thinking “i love this book”.

So again, happy 4th birthday to this masterpiece!