Minna and Myself

"Minna and Myself" by Maxwell Bodenheim is a collection of poems and short plays from the early 1900s that shows readers intense feelings, love, and what it means to be beautiful. It presents what was popular in art during this time period, paying close attention to the subtle details of what it means to be human and how complicated relationships can be. Divided into parts, "Minna" is full of expressive, lyrical poems about a loved one named Minna, filled with pretty images that deal with beauty, hurt, and the way time passes. "Myself," on the other, hand includes reflective works where the speaker struggles with who they are, death, and philosophical thoughts on life. Furthermore, the addition of the "The Master Poisoner" and "Poet's Heart" one-act plays gives the book exciting conversations that compare the delicate interactions of life and death. Overall, Bodenheim's work asks readers to seriously think about the complex dance that occurs between love, beauty, and death.