Violet Bent Backwards Over the Grass
Beautiful
Refreshing
Candid

Violet Bent Backwards Over the Grass

Lana Del Rey2020
THE HIGHLY ANTICIPATED DEBUT BOOK OF POETRY FROM LANA DEL REY, VIOLET BENT BACKWARDS OVER THE GRASS 'Violet Bent Backwards Over the Grass is the title poem of the book and the first poem I wrote of many. Some of which came to me in their entirety, which I dictated and then typed out, and some that I worked laboriously picking apart each word to make the perfect poem. They are eclectic and honest and not trying to be anything other than what they are and for that reason I’m proud of them, especially because the spirit in which they were written was very authentic. Lana Del Rey Lana’s breathtaking first book solidifies her further as 'the essential writer of her times' (The Atlantic). The collection features more than thirty poems, many exclusive to the book: Never to Heaven, The Land of 1,000 Fires, Past the Bushes Cypress Thriving, LA Who Am I to Love You?, Tessa DiPietro, Happy, Paradise Is Very Fragile, Bare Feet on Linoleum and many more. This beautiful hardcover edition showcases Lana’s typewritten manuscript pages alongside her original photography. The result is an extraordinary poetic landscape that reflects the unguarded spirit of its creator. Violet Bent Backwards Over the Grass is also brought to life in an unprecedented spoken word audiobook which features Lana Del Rey reading fourteen select poems from the book accompanied by music from Grammy Award-winning musician Jack Antonoff.
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Reviews

Photo of dani ocean.
dani ocean.@daniocean
4 stars
Feb 25, 2025

to love is to kill.

+1
Photo of elinabel hidalgo
elinabel hidalgo @cookiejar
5 stars
Aug 3, 2024

it’s like a testament to her ability to capture the essence of emotions… LOVE U MOM

Photo of Léa
Léa@swankadero
4 stars
May 25, 2024

I might have cried…

Photo of clau☁️
clau☁️@claureading
4 stars
May 11, 2024

i LOVE Lana’s poetry

Photo of Yalin Tsikun
Yalin Tsikun@yalin_tsikun
5 stars
Apr 15, 2024

Where do I even start😭 I’m in love with it, it felt like reading Lizzy’s diary, it felt so personal and so relatable. There are too many quotes there that made me clench my chest in pain, seeing my feelings on paper written by someone I love so dearly made me feel deeply emotional.

I loved every poem but for some reason “Happy” made me tear up. The poems before talked about pain and suddenly this poem talked about the joy small things bring us, and I know that in my life, many times, I had to hang on the joy that small things bring me, because life, as a bigger picture, was cruel.

+5
Photo of Julia Moran
Julia Moran @green_olives
4 stars
Jan 13, 2024

Aaaa so much better audio read

Photo of Klára Kováčiková
Klára Kováčiková @kayyaa
4 stars
Jan 3, 2024

What I think my diary entries are like

+4
Photo of erin moran
erin moran @ernmrn
4.5 stars
Dec 4, 2023

“i thrive because i say i do
and because it’s what i write”

listened to the audio version read by lana herself while i read along with the book, and it was so lyrical and gorgeous.

Photo of luca
luca@bonesandall
5 stars
Jul 17, 2023

This was incredible! I fully admit I am a bit biased since Lana is one of my favorite artists and I’ve loved her work for a really long time. But as a lover of poetry as well, I can confidently say this is a wonderful collection of short, sweet and poignant poems. As expected, it is not for everyone, but if you resonate with her music I’m sure you’ll find this book to be a perfect addition to her catalog. LDR’s songwriting has always been my favorite aspect of her music, and her talent with words has never been more clear than with these poems. She writes on topics such as happiness, love, solitude, trust, control and even writing itself, in both familiar and original ways. I’m obsessed with the imagery she uses, which is very closely tied to two of her most recent albums, NFR and Chemtrails. I also listened to the audiobook version, which features beautiful and atmospheric instrumentals by Jack Antonoff and makes the reading experience even more immersive. Listening to her read the poems is pure magic if you love her voice and sound, as it gives them even more power. I was completely enchanted and inspired by this collection and I hope she writes more books in the future! I also have to comment on ‘Sportcruiser’ in particular, which brought tears to my eyes and gave me big Joan Didion vibes ❤️ ‘Salamander’, ‘Pass the Bushes Cypress Thriving’, ‘Tessa Dipietro’ and ‘My Bedroom is a Sacred Place Now - There Are Children at the Foot of my Bed’ were also some of my favorites.

Photo of e<3(warners lover)
e<3(warners lover)@eishal123
5 stars
Jul 17, 2023

i love this woman sm

Photo of Ann-Sophie
Ann-Sophie@annsophie
4.4 stars
Mar 13, 2023

I really enjoyed Lana’s poems they are a nice addition to her deep and beautiful lyrics. They also give a grater few into her way of seeing the world, her minds, emotions and inspirations. I am sure I will reread them.

+5
Photo of Marley Fleming
Marley Fleming@marcafe
3 stars
Feb 6, 2023

when it hit it hit

Photo of Haylie
Haylie@its_hay
5 stars
Dec 28, 2022

First, listen to the audiobook. I think it elevates the poetry. It’s an interesting take to utilize this sort of ambiance instead of straight reading for an audiobook. I don’t listen to many, but it made it more enjoyable. It feels more like a drift between the different scenarios that are explored throughout. In a time where short Tumblr, poetry is rampant in the form of “Milk and Honey” and Amanda Lovelace’s tragic works, it’s refreshing to see pieces that are fleshed out and actually take a minute and more to perform. I’m sure if Lana’s name wasn’t attached to it, people wouldn’t be so quick to dismiss tbh. I give it five stars also because the lines about Soulcycle and “calling 911 on the culture” made me chuckle.

Photo of Avifa khrns
Avifa khrns@philiaa
3 stars
Nov 18, 2022

just sounds like song lyrics. but it quite nice for contemporary.

Photo of Beatriz Pereira
Beatriz Pereira@biatiiz
5 stars
Nov 9, 2022

I see no way of describing this other than the feeling of a peaceful picnic in the woods with someone you love. It's beautiful and touching. Maybe I'll update it with my favourite quotes.

Photo of isabell
isabell @only-isa
5 stars
Nov 2, 2022

5 stars, read this at the perfect time if the year and in my life. absolutely adored it

Photo of Panda Ä
Panda Ä@pandareads
2 stars
Nov 2, 2022

I expected more.

Photo of olivia musick
olivia musick@oliviamusick
3 stars
Sep 19, 2022

ugh, i’m torn! i’m such a lana fan and really wanted to like this more but it was really mediocre. i love the haikus and imagery but most of the poems fell off for me. if you like lana’s aesthetic, which i do, you can appreciate most of what she’s writing about, but if you’re just looking for some good petty this probably won’t be it.

Photo of Hazel
Hazel@aoike
5 stars
Sep 14, 2022

搁置了好久,今天终于早早上床半躺着读完了,并产生一种可以结束这半个月以来一直睡不安稳糟糕情况的强烈预感。

Photo of Kholoud Ayman
Kholoud Ayman@kholoud99
3 stars
Aug 31, 2022

Then she told me Singleness of focus is the key to transmission for an emphasis on developing inner intuition close your eyes and feel where you hold your attention if it’s in the back of your eyes walk it down to your heart center and make that the new place from which your thoughts enter clairvoyance comes mostly from this simple function

Photo of kate humphreys
kate humphreys @ktaird
4 stars
Aug 30, 2022

UGH lana i truly adore you. i just listened to this because i got the vinyl and the book for christmas and i’m in love to say the least, her voice and her words are so soothing. i never have high expectations for poetry by celebrities but holy crap could i relate to the concepts she brought up, and she said them so beautifully too. i highly recommend both the audio version and the physical copy. this will definitely be something i listen to when i’m really anxious or can’t fall asleep <3

Photo of elle t
elle t@ellereadz
5 stars
Aug 25, 2022

this book was so deep and I relate in an odd way it’s about not wanting to lose sight of yourself. But there are portions where she explains that she too is just a girl. She’s still a dreamer and hopeless romantic who just wants peace with herself and how she wants to grow. I cant explain this book well enough, I would totally recommend

Photo of wildemononoke
wildemononoke@wildemononoke
2 stars
Jun 11, 2022

eehhhhh..... it was okay?!?

Photo of Liana
Liana@liana
3 stars
May 28, 2022

Lana's poetry masters form like a virtuosic yo-yo, spinning ethereal language with Plath-esque echoes. Vulnerability bleeds through drafts in the physical edition, painting vivid LA landscapes. However, underdeveloped haikus at the end snag an otherwise stunning four-star read.

Highlights

Photo of Mafe
Mafe@primadonnagirl

"My thoughts are not for sale they’re about nothing and beautiful and for free i wish you could get that and love that about me because things that can’t be bought can’t be evaluated and that makes them beyond human reach"

🤍

This highlight contains a spoiler
Photo of raia – inactive
raia – inactive@raieuh

to live is to kill

Photo of raia – inactive
raia – inactive@raieuh

They don’t understand

I’m a dreamer

Photo of raia – inactive
raia – inactive@raieuh

if u let me be myself

u will be the first one who ever did.

Photo of raia – inactive
raia – inactive@raieuh

how the radio was so loud we couldn't hear the words so we became the music

Photo of raia – inactive
raia – inactive@raieuh

I didn't trust myself

not just 2500 ft above the coast of Malibu

but with anything.

Photo of raia – inactive
raia – inactive@raieuh

You who i wait for

You

You

You

Like a broken record stuck on loop.

Photo of raia – inactive
raia – inactive@raieuh

you don't want to be forgotten

you just want to disappear

Photo of raia – inactive
raia – inactive@raieuh

Be the art that life is breathing

Photo of raia – inactive
raia – inactive@raieuh

there's things you still don't know about me

like sometimes i'm afraid my sadness is too big

Photo of raia – inactive
raia – inactive@raieuh

The yin to my yang

the toughness to my unending softness

Photo of raia – inactive
raia – inactive@raieuh

I'm yours if you'll have me

quietly or loudly

Photo of raia – inactive
raia – inactive@raieuh

eucalyptus trees that sway in my dominion

Photo of raia – inactive
raia – inactive@raieuh

I picked San Francisco because the man who doesn't loves me lives there.

Photo of raia – inactive
raia – inactive@raieuh

LA

not quite the city that never sleeps

not quite the city that wakes

But the city that dreams for sure

if by dreams you mean nightmares.

Photo of raia – inactive
raia – inactive@raieuh

eternal sunshine of the spotless mind

no thought of you

Photo of raia – inactive
raia – inactive@raieuh

Bored - but not unhappy

Photo of raia – inactive
raia – inactive@raieuh

and in that moment

i decided to do nothing about everything


forever.

Photo of Courtney
Courtney @cleverhandle

You can have a life beyond your wildest dreams all you have to do is change everything . . . all you have to do is change everything All you have to do is change everything all you have to do is change everything

The last three lines were written in color, first blue, then pink, then green

Photo of Courtney
Courtney @cleverhandle

i like you so much but it makes me nervous when u don’t call under my breath I say Don’t make me resilient i so want to be soft if u let me be myself u will be the first one who ever did

From the poem ringtone

Photo of Courtney
Courtney @cleverhandle

and in that moment i decided to do nothing about every thing Forever.

From the poem Violet Bent Backwards over the grass

Photo of May
May@angelcult

I stepped on a bird cried in my new boyfriend's arms to live is to kill

Photo of May
May@angelcult

Or should I just be here now In the kitchen Bare feet on linoleum Bored- but not unhappy Cutting vegetables over boiling water that I will later turn into stew.

Photo of May
May@angelcult

I went to a party came in hot with decisions made beforehand But then i walked through the door past the open concept and saw Violet bent backwards over the grass 10 years old with dandelions grảsped tightly in her hands arched like a bridge in a fallen handstand grinning wildly like a madman ***with the exuberance that only doing nothing can bring** waiting for the fireworks to begin **and in that moment i decided to do nothing about everything** forever