Book Review: ‘Closer to Closure’ by Drew Walker

Closer to Closure is a collection of poems by Edmonton’s own Drew Walker. It’s a vulnerable exploration of the discomfort, uncertainty, and thrill of stepping over the threshold into adulthood. Or, perhaps more accurately, into oneself. As a community steward, Walker is no stranger to the level of understanding required to make real connections. Her writing highlights the intention and self-reflection it takes to get to that point. 

Walker wrote this collection in 2020 through 2024, making it her second book of poetry. Written in arguably the most trying time for relationship-building in recent history, her poetry reads like a private diary where we learn about her experiences through a first-person lens. Opening a door into her life, she is displaying a fearless vulnerability and an artistic presence through each piece in this collection as she delves into her pursuit of lasting relationships.

The preface prepares us for her written experience. And not only of romantic and platonic relationships, but more curiously for a reflection of her “pursuit of presence.” For those of us who express ourselves deeply through writing, this theme is extremely relevant. It can feel like the mind and body are hard to reconcile. She has a talent for revealing the place where thoughts and feelings commune, using poetry to stabilize her perspective on life. 

The very first poem featured in Closer to Closure, “In the Bath,” sets up perfectly the tone of the book. The speaker describes a feeling of reaching out in all directions like a flow of energy blurring the lines between body and environment. In doing so, Walker creates a magical atmosphere for self discovery through vivid imagery. She establishes a fluidity from one piece to the next, creating an interplay between intense presence and heavy introspection. 

In order to ground herself in contrast with the theme of disembodiment, Walker employs the idea of “Home.” In “Flight Home,” the speaker explores the dissonance of returning to a familiar place after being altered by time away. Her writing honours the fluctuation of the human experience, allowing for comfort in the unpredictability. As a result, “Home” ceases to be a physical environment, but a homecoming to the most honest version of oneself. 

Deeper into the collection is the piece, “Please Divinity,” in which Walker further emphasizes the distinction between physicality and emotion. As she continues to develop the theme of self-discovery, she reveals that sometimes life presents you with people that have not reached the same level of understanding. In response, she puts a great deal of trust into the idea that the world will bring what is meant for you, reshaping pain into power. 

Walker does a wonderful job contrasting pieces on life events with pieces on emotional events. And she reckons with the two as equally important parts of life. She invests into difficult emotional work to make the lessons even more valuable, giving her art an undercurrent of hope. I found that her writing touched on subjects that most of us would find confronting to discuss. And while it might be uncomfortable, those of us who are ready to challenge what we know about ourselves, and our relationship with love, will find Walker’s writing the perfect meditative experience. 

Living in the age of social media, we are all accustomed to putting ourselves on display. But how many of us really know how to be present? Altogether, Walker reminds us that the parts of us that are intimidating to share are the rawest parts of us.  This collection is for the people that aren’t scared of doing the work to get comfortable with themselves. Her writing encourages us to reflect on what it is to be imperfect, wildly lost, and desperately human.