Something Else in My Veins

Slam Poetry

By: Brandon Bagwell

Narrated by: Brandon Bagwell

Something Else in My Veins is a poetic deep dive into the world of paranoia and delusion which hard drug users oftentimes find themselves in. Bagwell captures the experiences of meth addicts and exposes his raw and expressionistic emotions.

As a former user and dealer himself, he is unashamed to bring not only his knowledge and perspective on such things to light, but also the emotional devastation that comes from losing one's sense of self-identity along with access to the drug itself. This is his first full-sized collection of poetry, and each piece is carefully curated to fit some aspect of the drug-using ecosystem. This includes the derangement and doubt that hallucinations can bring to the family and work relationships we struggle to maintain outside this lifestyle.

The author's quest for identity and purpose drips throughout the book. Yet, this collection functions more than just an insight into a world that few experience personally, as it is also a call to arms to have more drug users engage with the arts as therapeutic alternatives.

Paradoxically, the collection is marked as not for those early in recovery, though those in this category will find much to relate with. Individuals in the non-drug using community may find his style disturbing or horrific, but remark at the beauty and self-awareness that he brings to bear. The collection is indeed personal, as well as political, and these elements seem to haunt the author and the listener, as well, as he struggles to capture his own emotional lightning in a format that can only be described as "powerfully addicting".

©2020 Brandon Bagwell (P)2020 Brandon Bagwell