Review: Savannah Wolden’s Nostalgic Poetry Chapbook ‘Olympic Speedwalker’
READING LIKE A FACETIME CALL WITH A CLOSE FRIEND — Olympic Speedwalker is a fun and meaningful collection of poems by Savannah Wolden that navigates love in all its forms, and the struggle to keep it all together in a nearly impossible world.
Wolden seamlessly blends online concepts with devastating real world issues, combined with all the pieces of a life in between. Personal memories and details are beautifully scattered throughout the chapbook that readers can easily relate to. Lines such as “Sit out in the sun / and earn tiny freckles / on the nose, under the eyes” in “Death Book Club” are reminders of the little ways to feel alive that people often forget.
While Olympic Speedwalker captures lighthearted and loving moments, Wolden refuses to shy away from the difficult aspects of finding identity and meaning. In the collection’s opening poem, “A Day in the Life of Olympic Speedwalker” (the first of three poems that include this lovely titular character) she writes, “Olympic Speedwalker fake laughed at another SNL skit when / no one else was in the room with her.”
Throughout the collection, Wolden perfectly addresses the constant awareness of self-image. In “And Pretzels” “There are fruit flies in my bedroom, / and I’m 50 words short / on the discussion / board. How the fuck do people find meaning in coffee grounds?” encapsulates the confusion and messiness of day to day life.
In “Post Roe,” Wolden states, “If the politicians ask, / the child I don’t have is retaking / her calculus test in the library. / she’s sucking in her stomach / until her ribs are sore, / until her body bursts into flame.” She takes real-world issues and expresses them in unique, memorable ways that pack a punch.
What stands out most about Olympic Speedwalker is its emphasis on connection. Wolden effortlessly writes about friendship, relationships, and family.
“Someone / has died, / so they bake a casserole. // We eat it over bathroom tile, / our cheeks sore with old / jokes” in “Detectives, Barista” is just one example of how Wolden captures change and care. Imagery of staying up all night together sharing pieces of yourself with another hits hard in “Situationship Blues,” left with confusion and wanting more.
This beautiful collection of poems wraps up themes of loss, love, pain, and what makes life worth living. Although each poem stands out on its own, the story Wolden creates is intentionally arranged and well worth the read. Olympic Speedwalker was published in April by Kith Books and is available to buy digitally and in print.
