{"id":4684,"date":"2026-04-09T15:49:08","date_gmt":"2026-04-09T15:49:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/2026\/04\/09\/a-suit-or-a-suitcase-is-beautiful-and-memorable\/"},"modified":"2026-04-09T15:49:12","modified_gmt":"2026-04-09T15:49:12","slug":"a-suit-or-a-suitcase-is-beautiful-and-memorable","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/2026\/04\/09\/a-suit-or-a-suitcase-is-beautiful-and-memorable\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018A Suit or a Suitcase\u2019 is beautiful and memorable"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Maggie Smith\u2019s \u201cA Suit or a Suitcase\u201d is a beautifully haunting collection of poems that explore the self, the body and the soul. The poetry collection is split into five sections, each with a range of different poems separated by theme. Across sections, there is an echoing desire to understand what it means to have a body, to exist and to be<\/em>.<\/p>\n

On the surface, Smith\u2019s poems appear simplistic. She doesn\u2019t use flashy rhymes and shies away from more structured forms of poetry. However, her free verse is refreshingly effortless, and her words are incredibly relatable. I found that certain lines stuck in my head long after I\u2019d read them, even if I\u2019d brushed over them at first. Smith speaks to a variety of audiences \u2014 mothers, lovers, grievers \u2014 but most of all, she speaks to fellow poets. Throughout several poems, Smith approaches the concept of poetry in an almost meta way, discussing both herself as the poet and her poetry as something she birthed. Any writer can find themselves somewhere within their poems \u2014 their experiences bleed onto the page, their struggle through craft transcribed into words.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Poetry can be tiring to read, especially in large quantities. It tends to ask more of the reader than prose in terms of interpretation, inviting them to consider the deeper meaning behind the words rather than take everything at face value.\u00a0Smith\u2019s varied usage of spacing and formatting allows for a visually interesting experience that aids the reader along. Some poems are written with two three-line stanzas, others are a series of couplets and still others are written as one long block of text. These small changes aid in the \u201cjust one more poem\u201d feel of the book. While reading, I wanted to see what Smith might try next, and I enjoyed seeing how the different forms she used lent themselves to different subject matters. For example, one poem about metaphorically opening up is spaced to be split down the middle of the page, creating an image that matches the words.<\/p>\n

Beside herself and her writing, the main characters within Smith\u2019s poetry are her children. She frames certain poems around things her own kids have said or questions they have asked her, and digs away at their seemingly innocent thoughts layer by layer. I feel as though I finished the book with an intimate understanding of Smith and her familial relationships. Her poems are personal yet universal, so that you can place yourself in her shoes or simply come along for the ride.\u00a0<\/p>\n