If I Lose My Mind

If I Lose My Mind is a distinctive poetry collection by Claudia D. Hernández, blending the delicate craft of poetry with visual art. This collection contains fifteen of Hernández's original poems, each uniquely inscribed on wood shavings. These wood shavings hold personal significance, as they were planed off her own doors by artist and woodworker Zachary Warwas during the winter of 2023. The process of shaving off pieces of her doors, a tangible part of her personal space, adds an intimate layer to the collection, symbolizing both the fragility and resilience of the mind. Each poem in this collection is presented alongside a photograph of the corresponding wood shaving, offering a visual representation of the physical medium on which the words were written. The texture and grain of the wood, combined with the words carved into it, enhance the emotional weight of the poetry, creating an interactive experience for readers. The art pieces, consisting of both the poem and the photograph, evoke themes of memory, loss, and the reconstruction of identity. Hernández's If I Lose My Mind invites readers to explore not just the written word, but the tangible material through which her personal reflections come to life, merging literature and art into one cohesive experience.