I once gave away my copy of Staying Alive: Real Poems for Unreal Times before I knew it was out of print, and I think I've been on the hunt for similaI once gave away my copy of Staying Alive: Real Poems for Unreal Times before I knew it was out of print, and I think I've been on the hunt for similar anthologies, poems that are thoughtful but ultimately uplifting, that can be picked up and read during harder times. This anthology does this but from a different angle, focusing on connection and small details of life. It's particularly useful if you have ever tried reading poetry as part of a practice (of meditation, or prayer, or whatever your flavor might be) or are interested in trying - the editor has pulled the poems together in logical and pleasing groups by theme but also the way they are organized with small connections between poems is going to delight people who read more than one at a time. He pauses from time to time and poses a question for meditation, reflection, journaling, again, whatever your particular flavor leads you to. There are several pages of discussion questions in the back for people who might discuss the poems in a group setting as well.
Many of these poems and poets are known to me but many were not. The favorites I marked come from poets I already know, but some of what appeals in this anthology is that sense of familiarity and comfort, so I'm not surprised.
I bought this because it won the 2021 New Southern Voices Poetry Prize from Hub City - as local of a local press as I can get!
The poems are about the I bought this because it won the 2021 New Southern Voices Poetry Prize from Hub City - as local of a local press as I can get!
The poems are about the poet's multi-generational background and rural childhood, full of Gullah-Geechee culture as a living vibrant element the poet also participates in while also queering that experience, all serving to look at these details with fresh eyes. The poems about parents and grandparents are particularly memorable, as is "Hurricane Family."
So then I'm reading the acknowledgments like I always do and the poet thanks several people I know - a music major who is now an opera singer in France, a former academic dean, and a former chaplain. I did a little research to discover they were a student at the university where I work, with just a few years overlap. Perhaps we met....more
Presented solely as words on the page, I would give these poems overall three stars. There are themes of the female body - in pain, in pleasure - the Presented solely as words on the page, I would give these poems overall three stars. There are themes of the female body - in pain, in pleasure - the black body, moving between worlds. Quite a few of the poems repeat in thematic material although I did appreciate the varieties of structure and length.
But Ama Asantewa Diaka sees herself as a storyteller, not just a poet, and reading the words on the page is only part of the experience. The experience of her work is much more enticing, and I'd encourage you to watch a video or two.
Those of us who have read Vuong's previous works will be familiar with his mother, and she died of cancer in 2019. So some of these poems deal with grThose of us who have read Vuong's previous works will be familiar with his mother, and she died of cancer in 2019. So some of these poems deal with grief, also recovery, rural realities, family (including members of his partner Peter), and more. I listened to the audio of the poet reading them while reading the eARC and Ocean is a very small statured person with a quiet voice, but it's deceptive because his words always pack a punch. I also feel like he sees into the reality of people and circumstances past the facade. He isn't like anyone else, that's for sure.
Happy National Poetry Month! This collection comes out April 5....more
Don't read these poems if you have a hard time fathoming that people might reject your white supremacy or your religion, or maybe do read these poems Don't read these poems if you have a hard time fathoming that people might reject your white supremacy or your religion, or maybe do read these poems if you haven't gotten it yet. These poems declare Blackness, Africanness, Angoleseness, queerness, and confront the narrative that white culture and religion should be the dominant/only. The poet does this in ways both serious and lighter ("Find Some Real Chilies" was one of my favorites.) They also embody reclamation of bodily autonomy in a number of ways.
"...what strength we must have to hold secrets inside the body..."
The poet is now living in Denmark in asylum and many of the poems discuss borders and refuge, and the many ways seeking refuge has been made illegal. ...more
This collection of prose and poetry looks at Black girlhood in America, through the poet's eyes but also in conversation with SOLHOT (Saving Our LivesThis collection of prose and poetry looks at Black girlhood in America, through the poet's eyes but also in conversation with SOLHOT (Saving Our Lives, Hear Our Truths), an art installation at the Colored Girl Museum in Germantown PA, the Urban Bush Women, and including the #bringbackourgirls movement.
So much that needed to be said, spoken out loud, called out - this is a worthwhile read I'd highly recommend when it comes out January 22nd.
What You Talking 'Bout was probably my favorite but a lot of it is moving and words to return to.
Thanks to the publisher for providing access through NetGalley. This comes out January 22, 2022....more
I went poking through Hoopla and rediscovered this book of poetry from/about the Isle of Iona. I spent three days there in 1999 but it really is a speI went poking through Hoopla and rediscovered this book of poetry from/about the Isle of Iona. I spent three days there in 1999 but it really is a special place and the poems grapple with that, from a changing focus in theme of its history, to the legendary people who have passed through, to the spirituality of the place, to the unique landscape, to the memories of the poet's childhood, etc. They brought up memories for me too.
This diversion prompted by the last month of the Readtheworld21 challenge! ...more
Ashley M. Jones officially became Alabama's Poet Laureate this week, the first black poet to do so in that state, and this collection from Hub City WrAshley M. Jones officially became Alabama's Poet Laureate this week, the first black poet to do so in that state, and this collection from Hub City Writers is not to be missed.
One poem directly confronts past leadership in Alabama including a governor who promised segregation forever. Her poems demand that racial injustice be addressed (no surprise from the title) in specific ways, and she writes about her own experiences with being black and female and southern and still excluded or attacked or disenfranchised because of it....more
Whoops this doesn't come out until March but you will want this poetry collection. You think you don't recognize the poet's name but most of the wordsWhoops this doesn't come out until March but you will want this poetry collection. You think you don't recognize the poet's name but most of the words in Beyonce's Lemonade were penned by Warsan Shire.
Poems in this collection range from the refugee experience to the body to love. She's also well known for the poem "Home," which can be found online and starts with this line: "no one leaves home unless home is the mouth of a shark"
Shire is British, born to Somali parents in Kenya, so many of her poems ponder belonging and place.
I will recommend the audio, read by the poet. Thanks to Random House Audio for an early listen through the Volumes app....more
This poetry anthology highlights some of the best poets and poetry coming out of FSG over the last few decades. I found a few well-loved favorites of This poetry anthology highlights some of the best poets and poetry coming out of FSG over the last few decades. I found a few well-loved favorites of my own and a few names I didn't know but liked. Can you really ask anything more from an anthology? It is organized both chronologically but also in more subtle ways, connecting poems by theme or focus at times. Subtle but appreciated!
Dancer by Nelly Sachs, translated by Joshua Weiner (And interestingly, I think this is a new translation, because I found one called "Ballerina" that has parallels but is not the same... use this anthology to read this version)
In broad dayliGht black moms look grieving by Roya Marsh
And this leads me to say that overall it is very western and very white and very male as one would expect in a retrospective. There are some small beacons of otherness and I did enjoy some of these translations (Mark Strand on Neruda for instance,) but let's hope they include more of the wide world of voices in the next set of decades!
I also took note of a few Russian poets I may want to read for my project next year - Joseph Brodsky, Aleksandr Kushner, and Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn.
I had a copy of this from the publisher through NetGalley. ...more
This is a poet I've meant to read for a long time. But when I got to a poem bemoaning the "return of white supremacy" I guess I decided he's not reallThis is a poet I've meant to read for a long time. But when I got to a poem bemoaning the "return of white supremacy" I guess I decided he's not really for me....more
This book is on the finalist list for the National Book Award but it is not to my tastes. The poems seem to all be based on dreams with a lot of repeaThis book is on the finalist list for the National Book Award but it is not to my tastes. The poems seem to all be based on dreams with a lot of repeated themes (apocalypse) and unfortunately phrases (blood dripping down her legs) with bonus quirky drawings.
But look, poetry is subjective, maybe it will work for you....more
I listened to J. Drew Lanham on the On Being podcast and then immediately purchased Sparrow Envy from Hub City Press - he writes about birds, mostly pI listened to J. Drew Lanham on the On Being podcast and then immediately purchased Sparrow Envy from Hub City Press - he writes about birds, mostly poems but some other forms including a few lists. It's meditative at times, with protest and reinvention in other moments. I got to the end and started again. I can't quite express how a little poem about a bird can be such an uplift.
Favorites:
Lifeless List \ LUV \ On Finding Swamp Religion...more
I am trying to be better at keeping up with my book subscriptions so when it became National Poetry Month I collected poetry collections I had at homeI am trying to be better at keeping up with my book subscriptions so when it became National Poetry Month I collected poetry collections I had at home but hadn't read yet. This came through the Graywolf Galley Club earlier this year. Now I've had great poetry reads from this publisher before - Brute: Poems comes to mind in particular, but this collection wasn't for me. Almost every poem is about death or loss but not in an uplifting way. The most memorable poem is about a lamb that gets raised carefully like in 4H and at the end it's a bunch of animal carcasses and the child is like, whatever.
Maybe the poet should read less Nietzsche? But I should have known from the title. ...more
I may have had a different experience just reading these on the page, but the audiobook version was so terrible I won't even bother. A combination of I may have had a different experience just reading these on the page, but the audiobook version was so terrible I won't even bother. A combination of trying too hard with old Hollywood voice, varying degrees of closeness to the mic, ASMR, and soft jazz background and I didn't even know what the words were.
I poked around Libby and Hoopla to see which new poetry collections were available to me through my library and found both Halsey and Lana Del Rey (whI poked around Libby and Hoopla to see which new poetry collections were available to me through my library and found both Halsey and Lana Del Rey (which I will read soon.) I like the idea of singer-songwriters publishing poetry, after all what is a song but a poem. So even though I wouldn't say I'm Halsey's #1 fan, I was interested in seeing her work.
Remember LiveJournal? I just kept thinking of the unfiltered bare-your-soul nature of that space and that is what comes across here. And while some of it might be poetic, it's more emotional, and it has the feeling of not being revised much if at all. (That could be her style and intentional; I found it hard to tell.) This is the kind of poetry people write in the dark to work through relationships and dark times.
One theme I found interesting is how much a famous person can struggle to be seen, and valued, by individuals in their lives. ...more
Every April I like to go out and see what’s new in the many facets of poetry, and this is a debut collection other than chapbooks. These poems are choEvery April I like to go out and see what’s new in the many facets of poetry, and this is a debut collection other than chapbooks. These poems are chock full of unfiltered thoughts about sexuality, desire, the self, hygiene - I must admit it was a bit much for me, but consistent with the title and cover for sure. The poet has a Métis background that she addresses sometimes in the poems.
I think poetry is super subjective and my rating shouldn't deter you from trying it for yourself!
I had a copy of this from the publisher through Edelweiss; Exhibitionist comes out April 27....more
I once bought a few mystery poetry bundles from Coffee House and promptly didn't read them, and decided that for this year's National Poetry Month, maI once bought a few mystery poetry bundles from Coffee House and promptly didn't read them, and decided that for this year's National Poetry Month, maybe I could at least read the poetry already on my shelves.
The work of poet Patricia Spears Jones spans several decades, and this is her debut collection. Many of the poems speak to the Black and Southern experience (also San Francisco and New Orleans experience) from the 1960s to the 1980s, a key time of course for civil rights of multiple varieties (AIDS comes up, which is why I say it that way.) She often connects her work to musicians, sometimes artists. Several poems are from the "Billie Holiday Collection."
"Officially Lent" could have been written last month but is about the death of black boys in her community. ...more
"I can tell you that solitude Is not all exaltation, inner space Where the soul breathes and work can be done. SolitudA great collection about solitude.
"I can tell you that solitude Is not all exaltation, inner space Where the soul breathes and work can be done. Solitude exposes the nerve, Raises up ghosts, The past, never at rest, runs through it.
Who wakes in a house alone Wakes to moments of panic. (Will the roof fall in? Shall I die today?) Who wakes in a house alone Wakes to inertia sometimes To fits of weeping for no reason Solitude swells the inner space Like a balloon" -from Gestalt at Sixty
Jenny (Reading Envy)
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