Exorcism Becomes Habit by Nikki Dudley

‘the music plays on but the darkness is deafening’

‘DREAMS’, page 22

When deciding the first book I would review for my series, I went through my collection searching for something that reminded me of what I love most about reading. ‘Exorcism Becomes Habit’ by Nikki Dudley embodied this.

Published in 2023 by Hem Press, a fantastic independent publisher based in Glasgow, this collection is punchy, thought-provoking, and moving.

/ I’m trying to not be afraid of spiders / across my skin is a memory of movement / your fingers across the pores / break down this door / I saw inside and I saw /

‘SCARS’, page 17

Although every poem here delivers something wonderfully different, one of my favourite pieces is ‘FEELINGS’. Featuring stunning lines such as ‘crayons smell like sticky insides / I’ve pulled the plug out and it’s still attached / call me when you have time / call me again’ (FEELINGS, page 12), Nikki’s language is direct, intentional, and vivid.

Using all these perfectly broken snippets of images, Nikki’s collection explores feelings of uncertainty, negativity and vulnerability in a personal and honest way.

With ‘Exorcism Becomes Habit’, Nikki has crafted something extraordinary. I highly encourage you to pick it up and see what images resonate with you. With that, I’ll leave you with these gorgeous few lines from the book.

/ space is the biggest thing we know / hold me here until the lights come on / is morning the beginning or the end /

‘DISTANCE’, page 28

Exorcism Becomes Habit can be picked up here from Hem Press and costs £7.