Useful Junk

I am not a huge poetry fan so feel free to not give this review much credence. Many of the poems in this collection were about hookups, blowjobs, bad decisions, and dick picks. I have no problem with any of those, I was just expecting to see a little more variety in this collection. Some poems resonated with me and others were a struggle to read. It was a total crapshoot. Some of the themes and poems felt relatable and powerful and others felt disjointed. Poetry hits everyone different - so I fully expect that others will love this collection, just personally not my cup of tea. 

Wade in the Water

Broken into three parts; this stunning collection of poetry is lyrical and deep in intensity. From motherhood to slavery to contemplation each poem sucks the reader in and deserves to be savored. Tracey K. Smith is master of contemplation and care and this slim volume of poetry conveys deep meanings. Fans of poetry will eat this up and those new to prose will find themselves in love with the written word anew. 

Ogden Nash's Zoo

My family seems to love Ogden Nash but I am just so-so about him. He's like a Dr. Seuss poet for adults. His poetry is irreverent and "funny" and geared towards adult humor. This collection features a bunch of ridiculous animal poetry. Some of it rhymes, some of it doesn't, much of it is nonsensical. The best part of this little collection is the cute illustrations accompanying each poem. Maybe I don't understand or appreciate Ogden Nash at this stage in my life but I will try revisiting him another time.

Every Body Looking

Iloh, Candice. Every Body Looking. digital. 2020. Penguin Random House Audio. 

Moving and lyrical - this coming of age story set in verse is sensational and unforgettable. Burdened with heavy expectations at a young age, Ada struggles to figure out who she is underneath the mask she puts on to appease her parents and her peers. Her father is a Nigerian immigrant and her mother is an emotionally abusive African American woman suffering from many mental health issues. Her father has custody and raises her in the church - setting very high standards for how she should look and behave. All Ada wants to do is dance and draw - but she is an obedient daughter and always puts her elders first. Told in alternating timelines between public school and moving away to college - readers feel the anguish and inner turmoil as Ada struggles to peel back the mask that holds her in place. Flashbacks to painful moments from the past - being molested by a cousin - segue to painful moments in Ada's now -  suffering through a gynecology visit. Culture, sexuality, passion, and inner truth are discovered and fought for. Expertly narrated by the author herself - this coming of age story is one readers won't forget.  At times painful, but ultimately cathartic for Ada and readers alike; impossible to put down. - Erin Cataldi, Johnson Co. Public Library, Franklin, IN

Somebody Give This Heart a Pen

Raw emotion oozes out of every pore of this poetry collection. This collection of poems covers it all, love, family, coming of age, identity, police brutality and more. It's evocative, painful, brilliant, and powerful. Thakur is a talented spoken word performer and this debut collection of poetry is need now more than ever. Fearmongering, Girl You Better Sing, and Heavy World especially seem needed in these turbulent times. Definitely a voice to pay attention to and I look forward to reading more of her works!

The Mermaid's Voice Returns in This One

Overall I liked this poetry collection. It's empowering, emotional, and heavy. Like the previous two collections it deals with abuse, trauma, assault, and suicide. It's pretty heavy; but despite that, still uplifting and hopeful. Confronting the hard truths and the ugly side of our lives, makes it easier to move on to acceptance and healing. Some poems were more powerful than others and resonated, but I didn't feel that about every poem in the collection. If you've read the first two, definitely wrap it up with this one.

The Princess Saves Herself in This One

I started with her second collection first (which I loved!), but hell this book is just as good! Amanda Lovelace writes powerful poetry that women will instantly relate to. Even though this collection primarily deals with dark themes (depression, abuse, rape, suicide, and more), it ultimately ends hopeful. Each poem is about how the world and people can (and will) let you down, but then exalts the ways in which we can build ourselves back up and be our own heroes. Proud, feminist, and empowering; this poetry collection is great for women of all ages. 

Whispers of the Biafran Skeleton

Haunting and dripping with righteous indignation; Ngozi Olivia Osuoha's prose will chill you to the bones. This collection brings to life the horror, senseless slaughter, mass rape, and murder of more than two million when Nigerian forces attacked Biafra. A sadly overlooked and little known atrocity, the Biafran independence and subsequent Civil War was bloody and tragedy and most of the world didn't blink an eye. The poems do a masterful job of raising a voice to the violence, the hope, and the suffering of millions. Not for the faint of heart, yet crucial reading. This angry, horrific collection will stir your heart and steel your resolve.

In the Donald's Time

Irreverent, dark, humorous, and scathing; this poetry collection is breath of fresh air in our current shitty political climate. Jonel Abellanosa does a superb job of capturing the myriad of emotions many Americans are dealing with in beautiful, pragmatic, and endearing prose. There is very nearly a poem for every mood, and trust me with the Trumpster we suffer from a myriad of emotions. This timely collection attempts to make sense of the mess.  Unflinching, brutally honest, mesmerizing, and beautiful; this collection of poetry won't leave your head or your heart.

Riding Bareback Backwards

Prose that sticks in your mind for it's vivid imagery and truth, this collection will stick with you long after you've closed the book. Christina Quinns's collection of poetry is pure, unadulterated, and beautiful. From whimsical to remorseful to hopeful, the meandering prose takes you on a journey. My personal favorite poem was about three strawberries, it was unnamed and unusually resonant from me; I had to read it twice. A great collect and a fantastic contemporary poet that I look forward to reading more of.

Hammer of God

Each line is suffused with beauty and power and as a result Aria Ligi's poetry just begs to be read aloud. Her verse dances on the page and in the mind and while her subject may change, her eloquence does not. From beauty, desire, violence, anger, and hope; this collection has something to fulfill any reader's desire. Hammer of God is broken into sections in order to tell a story or theme. Classical themes, religion, modern day problems, and more are lovingly and scathingly illustrated in flowering language and prose. A powerful collection from a contemporary poet that will leave readers wanting more.

The Death of Disco

Quick, sweet, poignant, and powerful; a masterful collection contained in a tiny volume. Alicia's collection of poetry will stick with readers long after devouring this chapbook. Ranging from a line or two to a full page; this collection is irreverent, sassy, fun, and packs a punch. What Young can do with a few words will leave you jealous and eager to read more. From drugs to Hugh Hefner to typewriters and death; there is truly something for everyone. Definitely a collection you'll keep coming back to and won't soon forget.

The Witch Doesn't Burn in This One

I devoured this collection of poetry. I needed this now more than ever with the Kavanaugh circus running wild. I needed something uplifting and empowering and Amanda Lovelace delivered. If Francesca Lia Block and Laurie Halse Anderson wrote a collection of petry, this would be their lovechild. These poems talk about the struggles, the dangers, and the virtues of being a woman. It's everything the title promised and more. It made me want to go out and seize the day, attend that women's march, shut that man down, and be proud and confident. I loved it. A must read for every woman!!!

Useless Magic

What a gorgeous book. I've always been a huge Florence and the Machine fan and I was delighted to read this book. It has lyrics, poetry, sketches, doodles, and photographs. It' very ethereal and beautiful. Reading her lyrics really made me appreciate how poetry-esque they really all are. Florence writes exquisitely and from her heart. Useless Magic is divided into fiver parts, one part for each album, and the final section for poetry. It's a wonderful addition to any collection, not just those entranced by her music!

Life on Mars

Pulitzer Prize winning collection of poetry from Tracy K. Smith. Split into four parts this beautiful and haunting collection will have a lasting impression on readers. One of my favorite passages is even about a library:

"Sometimes, what I see is a library in a rural community.
All the tall shelves in the big open room, And the pencils
In a cup at Circulation, gnawed on by the entire population.

The books have lived here all along, belonging
For week at a time to one or another in the brief sequence
Of family names, speaking (at night mostly) to a face,

A pair of eyes. The most remarkable lies."

For Everyone

Loved, loved, loved this short little poem/letter/advice book. As the title suggests it's truly for everyone regardless of where you are in life. It's an encouraging note of affirmation that we all have dreams and we all deserve to have them. Unlike self help books this slim volume isn't telling readers how to act, think, or believe. It's reaffirming what we already know is deep inside of us and letting us no that we are not alone and we are not failures. It's beautiful, heartfelt, and utterly quotable. This is perfect for everyone and is a book I will return to again and again.

Because I Am Furniture

A dark and empowering book of prose that captures what it's like to live in an abusive household. Anke is the only one not receiving her father's "love" and she should be grateful. The love that he doles out on her brother, sister, and mother is horrifying. He's emotionally, physically, and sexually abusive to them all; Anke is unnoticed, always in the background. She knows she should be grateful or speak up, but she doesn't want to be the one to tear the family apart. Things start to change when she joins the volleyball team. She starts getting stronger, filling out, and finding her voice. Suddenly, what her father is doing to her family seems even worse. What would happened if she used her voice and confidence to help her family? Written in beautiful, lyrical poetry this young adult book about abuse will horrify readers and inspire them to speak out when they  witness something. A definite conversation starter.

Honeybee

Beautiful, raw, and emotional; this collection of poetry dealing with the aftermath of a break up and the struggle of moving forward will absolutely resonate with readers everywhere. It's compelling and soo soo personal! It's an intimate look at heartache and it's relate-able on every level. From questioning every little detail of your relationship, to trying to understand their motives, from grief all the way to anger; every step of heart break is included. Mateer's poetry and prose ranges from short to semi-long, but no matter the brevity; it all packs a punch. It's a wonderful collection that I know I will come to it again and again. It's even inspired me to go to the library to check out her other collections. As a final aside, I love the cover art!

The Sun and Her Flowers

LOVED LOVED LOVED this! Normally I'm not one for poetry but Rupi Kaur showed me what's up. I didn't think anything could top her last collection (Milk and Honey), but my god, this is heaven. It's profoundly emotional, soul jarring, and introspective. It's word porn of the highest order. The Sun and Her Flowers is split into five sections: wilting, falling, rooting, rising, and blooming. Rooting was especially moving, delving into immigration and making a new life in a new country, her poems about her mother are profoundly touching. The accompanying illustrations really add to her poems, helping elicit even more of an emotional response from the reader. Her poems range from break-ups, self doubt, self-love, trust, immigration, and womanhood. I literally loved this book so much, I went out and bought it because I knew I had to possess such a a beautiful collection. A definite must read, especially for women.

Milk and Honey

Wow. This book of poetry was raw, compelling, and impossible to put down. I rushed through it but now I want to start over so I can savor it. It's hauntingly beautiful and easy to relate to. It's broken into four parts: the hurting, the loving, the breaking, and the healing. The poems range in length and some even have accompanying sketches. Rupi Kaur mastered the art of conveying deep emotion with minimal words. I can't get over how beautiful and poignant this collection is. Definitely a poet to keep an eye out for and one whose books I will certainly add to my own personal collection because I know I'll want to revisit her words again and again.