Warcrimes by GOODW.Y.N. Offers a Black Woman's Perspective on PTSD
Image by Spoken Black Girl
Warcrimes (a sequel to Warcries) by GOODW.Y.N. (Aka Nicole Goodwin), offers a nuanced examination of morality and the fleeting nature of life when scarred by violence and the inhumanity of war. The three-part poetry collection takes a multifaceted approach to the subject of war. GOODW.Y.N. begins with her recollections of the war in Iraq and how they have haunted her even in her life back in the U.S., drawing parallels between being at war with the world, at war with one's own mind and heart, and at war with and for our own Black bodies. Split into three parts - War Crimes, Hate Crimes, and Love Crimes - Warcrimes offers a poignant look at American life through the lens of a queer, Black woman and a veteran, someone who has served a country that rarely served her. GOODW.Y.N. offers a close examination of what we take for granted and what ugliness is hidden beneath privileged American life. GOODW.Y.N. takes the blinders off her readers' eyes, revealing how our country was fought for with the lifeblood of forgotten people overseas. Phrases like “polish sand with blood” are a haunting reminder of the toll of the violent conflicts that have been sold to Americans as campaigns for “freedom”. Warcrimes explores how the normalization of mass violence has led to an epidemic in mental health and PTSD. GOODW.Y.N. delves into the trauma of loving in a body that does not fit white supremacist, heteronormative standards, and what it means to break the cycle of hate before it permeates the next generation, that is, if it’s not already too late. GOODW.Y.N. writing leaves the reader with a multi-faceted literary experience, opening a rarely explored worldview that is more than worthy of close reading.
Image courtesy of GOODW.Y.N.
We were fortune enough to speak to GOODW.Y.N. about this latest poetry collection. Enjoy the conversation below:
At Spoken Black Girl, we are focused on how writing can facilitate healing. How did writing Warcrimes facilitate your healing process if at all?
For me, Warcrimes was a vehicle to reach places that I was afraid to venture into. Healing began as a way of communicating with a Higher Power. When I let go of my inhibitions and doubts, I was able to authentically speak about the issues that bothered me concerning my past—including the decisions and the mistakes I made without feeling judged or overlooked. I am still working on this practice to heal myself and others.
In your book, you touch upon several different types of trauma, from wartime trauma to navigating love, and parenting to the racial trauma that comes with being Black in America, misogynoir, and the list goes on. What if any statement does Warcrimes make to address these scars that have been inflicted upon our collective humanity?
Warcrimes is a testament to the unspoken truth about issues concerning the voice of marginalized people. I wanted it to be a sign of how war, hate, and most of all love connects us to each other in our global society.
What is your advice to someone trying to heal from the constant barage of trauma we live through?
Don’t be silent about your pain; reveal it as if you are not living under the White gaze, do it freely without obligation. Do it to connect to something other than yourself—that is why I do it.
One condition that you address by name is PTSD. You are a literal war veteran, and most of the time, people associate PTSD with war, but we don't often hear about the experiences of Black women veterans. How does your experience as a queer Black woman impact the lens through which you write about PTSD?
I think that it offers up a perspective that is seldom heard; it gives the people that need to hear it a chance to regain their humanity—as listening to love and honesty helped me heal, I want to contribute to that energy in order to create change. On the other hand, by allowing myself to hate the injustice, I gave myself permission to vocalize my anger and pain. BIPOC peoples are vulnerable creatures, yet we aren’t allowed to display our vulnerability to the world around us, or each other. I want that to change, so I am becoming the change I want to see in the world.
Do you have anything to share with others who identify as having PTSD?
Don’t live in shame. You are not the person that you were, and you must accept how PTSD is a part of you. But that doesn’t make you a burden; those that love you will see that you are trying to cope for their sake and yours. So don’t be afraid to let them in. The work is worth it in the long run! (All of this is easier said than done, btw).
What else are you working on right now and how can we support?
I am working on a creative nonfiction essay collection called “How to Live Underground,” as well as a new poetry collection entitled “HUMans.” One of the ways I can be supported is by purchasing my books Warcries (under Nicole S. Goodwin), Warcrimes (please leave a review on Amazon.com) & Ain’t I a Woman (?/!): I Give of Myself-An Artist’s Journey. Here are the links:
Buy Ain’t I a Woman (?/!): I Give of Myself-An Artist’s Journey