Super Short Summary

In The Special (2014), David Stavanger navigates the disjunction between daily life and mental illness through a collection of poems, inspired by his personal struggles and professional experiences. He employs various forms such as free verse, prose poems, centos, and found poetry to highlight life's strangeness, chronic illness, dysfunctional relationships, and the concept of death. The poems often contrast playful forms with a deadpan tone, reflecting the flatness associated with mental illness, as evident in works like “sleep, hit me” and “survey.” Themes include deep depression, altered internal dialogues, and the mundane aspects of life intertwined with deeper existential musings.