I had a conversation with a friend about a year and a half ago:
"You know who I think is really overrated?" the friend asks me.
I shrug.
"Jewel. She writes all these angst-ridden poems with
no depth whatsoever. She's terrible."
I shrug again. After all, what could I say? Should I
have confessed that I own a copy of Jewel's first book
of poetry A Night Without Armour on CD? That I don't
necessarily think she's the best writer who ever
lived, but that I really do enjoy her simplistic
writing style? (Come to think of it, anyone currently
reading this review has probably already had a chance
to peruse my own poems in their own angst-ridden and
simplistic form and can probably see exactly why
Jewel's poems would resonate with me.)
Recently, the Alaskan musician released Chasing Down
the Dawn, her second publication. It retails for
$36.00 but I picked up a copy in the Coles discount
bin for $6.99, which is a nice price for a hardcover.
After reading it, I guess I can see why Jewel Kilcher
catches flak, but it still makes for an interesting
read.
Arguably the most beautiful pop musician around, the
book provides some insightful and honest passages
about growing up in Alaska as one of only a handful of
local girls with blonde hair. The best portions
address the reality of having been able to use her
attractive features to her advantage when trying to
get into the recording industry. I also enjoyed her
distant observations of people, nature, and events
that have shaped her life thus far.
Despite being only 140 pages, the book manages to get
pedantic at about the three quarters mark, once
Kilcher starts to bemoan the burdens of celebrity and
the lack of privacy in her life. One or two mentions
might normally suffice, but she continuously refers
back to being locked up all day long and after a while
it becomes tedious.
Recently, Jewel was injured in a horseriding accident.
She'll understandably be out of commission for a
while. I certainly hope she continues to write,
because it's inspiring to think there are superstars
out there who do notice their fans, who don't forget
where they've come from, and who know the fleeting
nature of the business all too well. Chasing Down the
Dawn isn't quite poetry in motion, but it is an
intriguing kind of prose in momentum.
