It Will Have Been So Beautiful by Amanda Shaw

(Thank you to Poetic Book Tours for providing me with the opportunity to review this book!)

 

about book:

With urgency and compassion, humor and wonder, Amanda Shaw’s It Will Have Been So Beautiful examines the many dimensions of what it means to call anything “home,” including the earth as we know it. In a manner reminiscent of Eugène Atget, who wrote “will disappear” on his photographs of turn-of-the-century Paris, Shaw captures the unique melancholy of living in a time of unknowable change.

As she explores the line between love and loss, Shaw implores us to find a more profound commitment to life in all its forms. At times playful and ironic, the poems celebrate language’s sonic capacities, probing art’s potential to move us from mourning to joy.

Advance Praise:

Alan Shapiro, acclaimed author of “Life Pig,” describes Shaw’s debut as “a beautiful and troubling book.” Shaw’s intelligence breathes life into every line, offering a rich, complex, and startlingly vivid exploration of the impact of the “enlightened” West juxtaposed with a poignant portrayal of the best and worst aspects of humanity.

Nathan McClain, author of “Previously Owned,” praises Shaw’s collection, noting that it is as interested in language itself as what language can create. With an “ear attuned to silences,” Shaw navigates the complexity of human interactions, addressing topics such as illness, home, love, and loss. The energetic collection uses a rich, musical dialect that resonates with the reader.

About the Poet:

From the time she learned to read her first word — “Boom!” — Amanda Shaw has been in love with literature and language. She earned a BA in English from Smith College and has advanced degrees in education and writing. Equally at ease in a high school classroom and a World Bank boardroom, she is an expert teacher who continues to share her belief in the power of words with students of all ages.

Amanda began her career at a public high school in Brooklyn, where she was committed to student-centered curriculum and staff development as part of NYC’s small schools movement. After nine years in the city, she moved on to teaching ESL internationally and domestically, first in Rome and now in Washington DC. Witnessing poetry’s unique impact on students’ intellectual and emotional development galvanized her own writing. In 2020, she received her MFA from the Warren Wilson Program for Writers.

In addition to actively participating in local and online writing communities, Amanda is the book review editor for Lily Poetry Review Books, where she supports emerging writers. Lily Poetry Review Books will publish her debut collection, It Will Have Been So Beautiful, in March 2024. The poems, written over 15 years, explore love and loss in personal and global contexts. For the past four years, Amanda has divided her time between New Hampshire, where she was born, and Washington, DC. Follow her on Facebook and Instagram.

my thoughts:

Poetry is thoughtful and precise. It can be endearing and heart wrenching. I love reading poems - they wake me up and shake me up. So, I was thrilled to get my hands on a copy of Amanda Shaw's debut collection of poems titled, It Will Have Been So Beautiful. Talk about the perfect treat to remedy a months-long reading drought. I picked up this book and could not stop reading. I fell in deep and loved every second spent with these poems about life, loss, identity, and home. It was all about the human experience and it was ace. I loved it!

Shaw's creativity thrummed throughout the pages. There was humor and candor within the vivid images and her clever observations were peppered with insight. What a wonderful book of poems! I highly recommend any and all fans of poetry to grab a copy ASAP - you won't want to miss out on Shaw's poetic prowess!

Thank you to Poetic Book Tours for providing me with the opportunity to review this book!

Portraits Of Red And Gray: Memoir Poems by James C. Morehead

(Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!)

 

about book:

Take an unforgettable journey from the Cold War USSR to Savery, Wyoming, from the mountains of Tuscany to the peak of Yosemite’s Half Dome, from the Canadian wilderness to the beaches of Normandy. James Morehead’s (Poet Laureate – Dublin, California) acclaimed collection is built around a series of memoir poems that takes readers into pre-perestroika Soviet Union through the eyes of a teenager, from Moscow to Tbilisi to Leningrad (and many stops in-between). The striking cover, designed by Zoe Norvell, is based on a 1982 lithograph by Igor Prilutsky.

my thoughts:

Portraits Of Red And Gray: Memoir Poems by James C. Morehead is a smart and moving collection of poetry. I loved it. 

The poems evoke a sense of nostalgia and provide such a clear picture of life, that you can't help but get caught up in them. I really enjoyed reading about Morehead's life through his careful and clever prose. His poems are like time capsules from various moments of his life history and it is fascinating. 

I would happily recommend Portraits Of Red And Gray: Memoir Poems by James C. Morehead to anyone and everyone looking for their next great poetry read - you will LOVE this book bits! Make sure to check it out!

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!

If The Sky Won't Have Me: Poems by Anne Leigh Parrish

(Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!)

 

about book: (summary from Goodreads)

The poems in If The Sky Won’t Have Me weave a brilliant tapestry of the human condition, focusing on nature, the female experience, family drama, aging, politics, and regret. Images of water feature strongly, as do rebirth and regeneration, both physical and spiritual. A perfect sequel to the author’s debut collection, the moon won’t be dared, these poems expand and deepen our understanding of what it means to be alive in a complex world.

my thoughts:

Love, love, love National Poetry Month. I find myself devouring poems every day and just savoring them throughout the week. It's such a treat in April, especially, when the weather is so crazy and the news is so dire. So, imagine how happy I was to get my hands on a copy of new-to-me poet, Anne Leigh Parrish's,  latest poetry collection, If The Sky Won't Have Me: Poems - hurrah! I was thrilled to bits!

This beautiful book is filled with amazing poetry that I can't stop thinking about, along with beautiful images scattered throughout. It is such a lovely book to get lost in and spend time with. The poems are chock full of powerful lines and vivid imagery, that you can't help but imagine so clearly in your mind. I really enjoyed this book so much. It's definitely one of my new favorites. 

I would happily recommend If The Sky Won't Have Me: Poems by Anne Leigh Parrish to anyone and everyone looking for a new poetry book  - you are going to fall in LOVE with this one! Make sure to check it out!

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!

Our Wolves by Luanne Castle

(Thank you to the Poetic Book Tours and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!)

 

about book: (summary from Goodreads)

Our Wolves looks at the identity of wolves in our everyday lives and the varied ways of viewing the wolf. For example, this character cannot be seen as merely bad or even redeemed or misunderstood, as in some interpretations of the fairy tale. Similarly, “Little Red” is not simply a victim or a representation of innocence. Instead, this collection reveals the tale as a conduit for many voices and interpretations of gender, identity, and feminism.

my thoughts:

Love, love, love! Luanne Castle's new poetry book, Our Wolves, is creative and unique. Inspired by the classic fairy tale, Little Red Riding Hood, she writes poems that reimagine the characters and reinterpret their story - talk about a clever way of exploring gender and identity. These poems were heartfelt and engaging. I enjoyed slipping in and out of the book, so that I could devour each piece slowly. These poems depict "Little Red" coming of age and sometimes her journey is not an easy one to take in. 

Castle has created a fantastic collection of poetry that her readers will enjoy reading again and again. I would happily recommend Our Wolves to anyone and everyone looking for their next poetry fix - you are going to fall in deep with these poems.  So, make sure to check out this book ASAP!

Thank you to Poetic Book Tours and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!

Super Sad Black Girl by Diamond Sharp

(Thank you to Haymarket Books for providing me with a copy of this book!)

about book:

Diamond Sharp’s Super Sad Black Girl is a love letter to her hometown of Chicago, where the speaker finds solace and community with her literary idols in hopes of answering the question: What does it look like when Black women are free? 

Lorraine Hansberry and Gwendolyn Brooks appear throughout these poems, counseling the speaker as she navigates her own depression and exploratory questions about the “Other Side,” as do Sandra Bland, Rekia Boyd, and other Black women who have been murdered by police. 

Sharp’s poetry is self-assured, playful, and imaginative, reminiscent of Langston Hughes with its precision and brevity. The book explores purgatorial, in-between spaces that the speaker occupies as she struggles to find a place and time where she can live safely and freely. With her skillful use of repetition, particularly in her series of concrete poems, lines and voices echo across the book so the reader, too, feels suspended within Sharp’s lyric moments. Super Sad Black Girl is a compassionate and ethereal depiction of mental illness from a promising and powerful poet.

my thoughts:

Wow! Super Sad Black Girl by Diamond Sharp is poetry at its very best. I fell in deep with this book of poems that explores depression, bipolar disorder, mental health, and living in an unknown state of mind and within the world. Talk about smart, emotional, and thought-provoking poems. Love, love, love!

Sharp's words ache with such force,  you can't help but feel pierced by them.  It is raw, personal, and very real. Her poems were lyrical and used repetition to their advantage. Reading them made you feel them and that experience was just eye-opening. It felt like you were peeking inside of her brain and it was enthralling. What a book!

I would definitely recommend Super Sad Black Girl to anyone and everyone looking for their next book of poetry - you will not want to miss out on this one! Make sure to check it out!!

Thank you to Haymarket Books for providing me with a copy of this book!

The Book Of Delights: Essays by Ross Gay

(Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!)

about book: (summary from Goodreads)

The New York Times bestselling book of essays celebrating ordinary delights in the world around us by one America's most original and observant writers, award-winning poet Ross Gay.

As Heard on NPR's This American Life

“Ross Gay’s eye lands upon wonder at every turn, bolstering my belief in the countless small miracles that surround us.” —Tracy K. Smith, Pulitzer Prize winner and U.S. Poet Laureate

The winner of the NBCC Award for Poetry offers up a spirited collection of short lyrical essays, written daily over a tumultuous year, reminding us of the purpose and pleasure of praising, extolling, and celebrating ordinary wonders.

In The Book of Delights, one of today’s most original literary voices offers up a genre-defying volume of lyric essays written over one tumultuous year. The first nonfiction book from award-winning poet Ross Gay is a record of the small joys we often overlook in our busy lives. Among Gay’s funny, poetic, philosophical delights: a friend’s unabashed use of air quotes, cradling a tomato seedling aboard an airplane, the silent nod of acknowledgment between the only two black people in a room. But Gay never dismisses the complexities, even the terrors, of living in America as a black man or the ecological and psychic violence of our consumer culture or the loss of those he loves. More than anything else, though, Gay celebrates the beauty of the natural world–his garden, the flowers peeking out of the sidewalk, the hypnotic movements of a praying mantis.

The Book of Delights is about our shared bonds, and the rewards that come from a life closely observed. These remarkable pieces serve as a powerful and necessary reminder that we can, and should, stake out a space in our lives for delight.

my thoughts:

Wow. What a beautiful book. I LOVED The Book of Delights by Ross Gay. This book of essays is written by an accomplished poet who has a penchant for finding joy in a year that was anything but joyful. His essays are short and delightful, sobering and thoughtful, and a great reminder to pay attention to the small details in life. Yep, it really is the little things that can jolt you out of your doldrums.

Gay has written a terrific book that you will love dipping in and out of. I know I did. I really enjoyed getting to know Gay through these essays and his writing, which I found to be top notch. I loved the variety, not just in topics, but in the writing styles. His love of words is evident and it makes each essay a treat to read. The Books of Delights is truly a delightful and thoughtful book. 

I would happily recommend this book to anyone and everyone looking for their next great read - check it out!

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!

Why I Never Finished My Dissertation by Laura Foley

(Thank you to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for providing me with a copy of this book!)

 

about book:

Named one of seven Best Indie Poetry Books of 2019 by Kirkus.

Foley’s writing may appear sparse and reserved but it harbors a subtle power. The poet’s greatest strength is her acute sense of observation. She possesses the ability to thread sensuousness into the fabric of everyday life. . .This is a dazzling volume of poetry that delights in crisp imagery and tender recollections.
—Kirkus Reviews

Eric Hoffer/Montaigne Medal Finalist
Eric Hoffer/da Vinci Eye Finalist
Eric Hoffer Book Award Honorable Mention

The quest to discover why this poet does not complete a dissertation, leads to an astonishing read. This collection reveals a wide range of life-changing experiences beginning with a marriage to a hunchback Moroccan, almost twice the writer’s age. Other poems express revelations and observations that arise out of travels, such as a trip to Tehran, where the poet stands on a bullet-riddled balcony watching a hurried crowd “spill Khomeini from his coffin.” The signature poem unveils a suddenly busy domestic life in a second marriage with three young children and puppies. Toward the end readers experience love which results in marriage with a same-sex partner. No matter one’s personal story, what makes a story great is how it is told.
—The US Review of Books

my thoughts:

It's National Poetry Month, so that means I am reading more poetry and LOVING every minute with it. I was thrilled to get my hands on a copy of new-to-me poet Laura Foley's latest work, Why I Never Finished My Dissertation.  The title intrigued me. As someone who had to write two dissertations, I can see why someone would not finish. It is tedious work that drains you.  Plus, I just wanted to find out more about this woman who named her book after a fact about her life. Talk about reeling me in. 

Foley has written a terrific book of poems that share so much about her life. A green-card marriage, being a mom, loving a woman, visiting her sister who resides in a psychiatric home, and the beauty of nature and life. She writes about it all and you can't help but fall in deep with her words. The ways in which she uses words and phrases to reflect her emotions is intoxicating. She tells her stories about these experiences with such honesty, you can't help but imagine these scenes taking place and feel the pain, joy, and love within it.  Why I Never Finished My Dissertation is a must-read for fans of poetry - you will LOVE this book to bits!

I would happily recommend Why I Never Finished My Dissertation to anyone and everyone looking for a new book of poems to delve into - you don't want to miss out!

Thank you to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for providing me with a copy of this book!

The Lamps Of History by Michael Sandler

(Thank you to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for providing me with a copy of this book!)

 about book:

The Lamps of History wrestles with the ambiguities—and choices—between connection/alienation, renewal/decay, and faith/doubt. Its poems explore family histories and our stance toward them as they dim, frayed bonds with our grandparents’ traditions and beliefs, and distances ingrained in our current relationships. There are also poems on our civic estrangements: an ode to a papaya that spills into America’s tribal conflict; elegies to the environment (one on disappearing phytoplankton, another on forests ravaged by pine beetles); a ghazal to a semi-automatic weapon; and a failed recipe for noodle pudding. Michael Sandler’s writing marshals wit and wordplay in a deft handling of language and form. The poetry navigates the crosscurrents of tradition and post-modernism, steering somewhat closer to the former. Poet and editor George Bishop concludes: “This language is addictive. A stunning sense of place and story. To be read and read again.”

my thoughts: 

Poetry is where it's at. I always enjoy reading new-to-me poems and finding new poetry to fall in deep with. So, I was excited to get my hands on a copy of Michael Sandler's book, The Lamps of History. It's a fantastic collection of poems that cover a wide range of topics: family, relationships, the environment, and politics. I found myself dipping in and out of the book every day. I just loved Sandler's use of language and how he was able to evoke such vivid imagery and powerful emotions. It was fascinating to experience each poem - I would read a poem and let the tone settle in and then read it again and let the words sink in. It was such a great reading experience. 

I'd definitely recommend Sandler's book, The Lamps of History, to fans of poetry - you will LOVE this book!  

Here's the link to the TLC Book Tour schedule for: The Lamps Of History

Thank you to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for providing me with a copy of this book!

How to Love the Empty Air by Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz

(Thank you to the publisher and Poetic Book Tours for providing me with a copy of this book!)

about book:

Vulnerable, beautiful and ultimately life-affirming, Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz’s work reaches new heights in her revelatory seventh collection of poetry. Continuing in her tradition of engaging autobiographical work, How to Love the Empty Air explores what happens when the impossible becomes real―for better and for worse. Aptowicz’s journey to find happiness and home in her ever-shifting world sees her struggling in cities throughout America. When her luck changes―in love and in life―she can’t help but “tell the sun / tell the fields / tell the huge Texas sky…. / tell myself again and again until I believe it.” However, the upward trajectory of this new life is rocked by the sudden death of the poet’s mother. In the year that follows, Aptowicz battles the silencing power of grief with intimate poems burnished by loss and a hard-won humor, capturing the dance that all newly grieving must do between everyday living and the desire “to elope with this grief, / who is not your enemy, / this grief who maybe now is your best friend. / This grief, who is your husband, / the thing you curl into every night, / falling asleep in its arms…” As in her award-winning The Year of No Mistakes, Aptowicz counts her losses and her blessings, knowing how despite it all, life “ripples boundless, like electricity, like joy / like… laughter, irresistible and bright, / an impossible thing to contain.”

How to Love the Empty Air brilliantly illuminates why we read poetry, and why poetry is needed. We read it to see another person’s unique experience, but also to help us clarify our own. And we read it to reassure ourselves that what we experience and feel it part of a larger human drama that we all share. Cristin reminds readers how huge, life-shifting events are totally unique and personal—and yet, they are also universal.

my thoughts:

Wow. Just wow.

Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz' book of poems titled, How to Love the Empty Air, is absolutely amazing.  It is filled with beautiful, heartbreaking, and unforgettable poetry.  Every second I spent with this book was pure bliss. I am a lover of words and a lover of poetry.  This book was seriously one of the best books of poetry I've read in ages. It was thoughtful, engaging, and emotional. The poems were extraordinary in their ability to capture the essence of grief and loss so authentically and realistically.

I can see myself reading this book again and again; highlighting, memorizing, and writing these poems down in my journal. This book will sit on my shelf for years to come and I will pick it up when I need to be reminded of the universal nature of grief and loss.  Aptowicz is a must-read poet.  She creates emotions and truths with her words in such a relatable manner, you can't help but connect with her poetry.  I would definitely recommend this book to her fans and to poetry lovers looking for a new book of poems to fall in love with.

Here's the link to the Poetic Book Tours schedule for: How to Love the Empty Air

Thank you to the publisher and Poetic Book Tours for providing me with a copy of this book!

Other Press...

is where its at!  I'm serious.  This publishing house is one of the BEST.  They offer literature, nonfiction, short stories, and poetry from authors around the world.  I have found some of my favorite books through them:

And come 2018 I am positive that I will find more favorite books to add to my list.  Other Press is just superb! I thought I'd give them a shout-out, just in case you are still looking for great reads to stuff in your loved ones' stockings.  Check out their site to find out more about them and their fantastic catalog of books: Other Press

Now, I'm off to continue reading one of their upcoming novels, Eventide by Therese Bohman:

Talk about a must-read!! A story about relationships - personal and professional - focused on answering the one question we all ask ourselves at one time or another: how can we be happy with what we have?  I am in deep with this story and am enjoying every minute with it!

Happy reading!! And, Happy Holidays!!

GIVEAWAY & REVIEW: The Antigone Poems by Marie Slaight and Drawings by Terrence Tasker

(Thank you to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for providing me with a copy of this book!)

about book:

Featuring poetry by Marie Slaight and charcoal drawings by Terrence Tasker, The Antigone Poems was created in the 1970’s, while the artists were living between Montreal and Toronto. An intensely personal invocation of the ancient Greek tale of defiance, the illustrations and poetry capture the despair of the original tale in an unembellished modernized rendition.   The Antigone Poems provides a special expedition into the depths of the ancient Sophocles tragedy while questioning  power, punishment and one of mythology’s oldest themes: rebellion.

To learn more about The Antigone Poems, please visit TheAntigonePoems.com. 

my thoughts:

Poetry is my jam; which is why I chose to share some of my favorite poems with you throughout April aka National Poetry Month.   So, imagine my excitement when I heard about The Antigone Poems ?  A book of  poems and illustrations centered on a character from Greek mythology - how awesome does that sound?  Extremely awesome to me.

Created in the 1970s, The Antigone Poems, feels timeless with its feminist bent on the retelling of Antigone's story.  A tale centered on rebellion and filled with darkness, pain, and despair.  In Sophocles' play, Antigone tries to bury her brother in a respectable place, but is punished due to the fact that it was against the law to even mourn for him.  She's locked away and found having hung herself.  Talk about tragic.  Through her poetry Slaight introduces us to the struggles and suffering that women endure via the character of Antigone.  She employs language in a way that is passionate, wild, and mesmerizing.  Her imagery is spellbinding.  I was truly riveted by Slaight's poetry.  As for Tasker's charcoal drawings - oh my!  They were haunting, emotional, and unforgettable.  His drawings enriched the somber tone of the book.  I swear the poetry and drawings went together perfectly! I absolutely loved The Antigone Poems.  Not only did I fall in love with Slaight's poetry and Tasker's drawings, but I am now interested in reading more of Sophocles' plays.  Perhaps I'll thrown in some of Euripides' plays as well.  Don't you just love it when one book inspires you to read another - that is truly the mark of a great book.  I would most definitely recommend The Antigone Poems to fans of poetry and Greek mythology - you will LOVE this book!


GIVEAWAY:  Thanks to the publisher, I'm able to give away ONE copy of The Antigone Poems.  So, if you want the chance to experience some truly great poetry, just leave me a comment telling me who your favorite poet is.  Don't forget to include your email address, so that I can contact you if your name is chosen.  Last date to enter is 5/20/2015.  Good luck!!!

Here's the link to the TLC Book Tour schedule for: The Antigone Poems

Thank you to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for providing me with a copy of this book!

A Fable by Louise Glück

A Fable
by Louise Glück

Two women with

the same claim

came to the feet of

the wise king. Two women,

but only one baby.

The king knew

someone was lying.

What he said was

Let the child be

cut in half; that way

no one will go

empty-handed. He

drew his sword.

Then, of the two

women, one

renounced her share:

this was

the sign, the lesson.

Suppose

you saw your mother

torn between two daughters:

what could you do

to save her but be

willing to destroy

yourself—she would know

who was the rightful child,

the one who couldn’t bear

to divide the mother.

Source: Ararat (The Ecco Press, 1990)

The Untrustworthy Speaker by Louise Glück

The Untrustworthy Speaker
By Louise Glück

Don’t listen to me; my heart’s been broken.

I don’t see anything objectively.

I know myself; I’ve learned to hear like a psychiatrist.

When I speak passionately,

that’s when I’m least to be trusted.

It’s very sad, really: all my life, I’ve been praised

for my intelligence, my powers of language, of insight.

In the end, they’re wasted—

I never see myself,

standing on the front steps, holding my sister’s hand.

That’s why I can’t account

for the bruises on her arm, where the sleeve ends.

In my own mind, I’m invisible: that’s why I’m dangerous.

People like me, who seem selfless,

we’re the cripples, the liars;

we’re the ones who should be factored out

in the interest of truth.

When I’m quiet, that’s when the truth emerges.

A clear sky, the clouds like white fibers.

Underneath, a little gray house, the azaleas

red and bright pink.

If you want the truth, you have to close yourself

to the older daughter, block her out:

when a living thing is hurt like that,

in its deepest workings,

all function is altered.

That’s why I’m not to be trusted.

Because a wound to the heart

is also a wound to the mind.

Source: Ararat (The Ecco Press, 1990)

Lines for Winter by Mark Strand

Lines for Winter
by Mark Strand

for Ros Krauss

Tell yourself

as it gets cold and gray falls from the air

that you will go on

walking, hearing

the same tune no matter where

you find yourself—

inside the dome of dark

or under the cracking white

of the moon's gaze in a valley of snow.

Tonight as it gets cold

tell yourself

what you know which is nothing

but the tune your bones play

as you keep going. And you will be able

for once to lie down under the small fire

of winter stars.

And if it happens that you cannot

go on or turn back

and you find yourself

where you will be at the end,

tell yourself

in that final flowing of cold through your limbs

that you love what you are.

 

 

Source: New Selected Poems (Alfred A. Knopf, 2007)

Let's meet in a restaurant by Marge Piercy

Let's meet in a restaurant
by Marge Piercy

Is food the enemy?
Giving a dinner party has become
an ordeal. I lie awake the night
before figuring how to produce

a feast that is vegan, gluten free,
macrobiotic, avoiding all acidic
fruit and tomatoes, wine, all nuts,
low carb and still edible.

Are beetles okay for vegans?
Probably not. Forget chocolate
ants or fried grasshoppers.
Now my brains are cooked.

Finally seven o’clock arrives
and I produce the perfect meal.
At each plate for supper, a bowl
of cleanly washed pebbles. Enjoy!


Source: Made in Detroit (Knopf, 2015)

Elegy for Smoking by Patrick Phillips

Elegy for Smoking
by Patrick Phillips


It’s not the drug I miss
but all those minutes
we used to steal
outside the library,
under restaurant awnings,
out on porches, by the quiet fields.

And how kind
it used to make us
when we’d laugh
and throw our heads back
and watch the dragon’s breath
float from our mouths,
all ravenous and doomed.

Which is why I quit, of course,
like almost everyone,
and stay inside these days
staring at my phone,
chewing toothpicks
and figuring the bill,

while out the window
the smokers gather
in their same old constellations,
like memories of ourselves.

Or like the remnants
of some decimated tribe,
come down out of the hills
to tell their stories
in the lightly falling rain —

to be, for a moment, simply there
and nowhere else,
faces glowing
each time they lift to their lips
the little flame.


Source: Elegy for a Broken Machine (Knopf, 2015)

Harlem Night Song by Langston Hughes

Harlem Night Song
by Langston Hughes

Come,
Let us roam the night together
Singing.

I love you.

Across
The Harlem roof-tops
Moon is shining
Night sky is blue.
Stars are great drops
Of golden dew.
In the cabaret
The jazz-band's playing.

I love you.

Come,
Let us roam the night together
Singing.


Source: from The Weary Blues by Langston Hughes (Alfred A. Knopf, 1926)

Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou

Phenomenal Woman

By Maya Angelou

 

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.

I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size   

But when I start to tell them,

They think I’m telling lies.

I say,

It’s in the reach of my arms,

The span of my hips,   

The stride of my step,   

The curl of my lips.   

I’m a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,   

That’s me.

I walk into a room

Just as cool as you please,   

And to a man,

The fellows stand or

Fall down on their knees.   

Then they swarm around me,

A hive of honey bees.   

I say,

It’s the fire in my eyes,   

And the flash of my teeth,   

The swing in my waist,   

And the joy in my feet.   

I’m a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,

That’s me.

Men themselves have wondered   

What they see in me.

They try so much

But they can’t touch

My inner mystery.

When I try to show them,   

They say they still can’t see.   

I say,

It’s in the arch of my back,   

The sun of my smile,

The ride of my breasts,

The grace of my style.

I’m a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,

That’s me.

Now you understand

Just why my head’s not bowed.   

I don’t shout or jump about

Or have to talk real loud.   

When you see me passing,

It ought to make you proud.

I say,

It’s in the click of my heels,   

The bend of my hair,   

the palm of my hand,   

The need for my care.   

’Cause I’m a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,

That’s me.

Source: The Complete Collected Poems of Maya Angelou (Random House Inc., 1994)

National Poetry Month begins NOW!

April means poems, poems, and more poems. Yep, its that time of year - National Poetry Month.  Hurrah! This means I'll be sharing some of my favorite poems with you all throughout the month.  I hope you join in and post some of your favorites as well.

Here's the 2015 National Poetry Month from the Academy of American Poets:

Pretty awesome, eh?  It was created by Roz Chast (2014 National Book Award finalist and New Yorker cartoonist) and features a line of poetry from Mark Strand's "Eating Poetry".

And, to kick off National Poetry Month I will leave you with:

Eating Poetry

By Mark Strand
 

Ink runs from the corners of my mouth.

There is no happiness like mine.

I have been eating poetry.

The librarian does not believe what she sees.

Her eyes are sad

and she walks with her hands in her dress.

The poems are gone.

The light is dim.

The dogs are on the basement stairs and coming up.

Their eyeballs roll,

their blond legs burn like brush.

The poor librarian begins to stamp her feet and weep.

She does not understand.

When I get on my knees and lick her hand,

she screams.

I am a new man.

I snarl at her and bark.

I romp with joy in the bookish dark.

Source: Selected Poems (Alfred A. Knopf, 1991)

Lust: Poems by Diana Raab

(Thank you to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for providing me with a copy of this book!)

about book:

In her fourth book of poetry, Raab employs narrative verse that is alive, titillating, and seductive. Lust examines the emotional and physical complexity of love, helping readers navigate the risks of intimacy as we move toward the realization that every experience enriches our lives, whether we perceive it as joy, pain, or out of the ordinary. Yet for all their psychological richness, the poems’ simplicity and accessibility will resonate with women and men across all walks of life. Lust is a book you won’t put down and won’t soon forget.

my thoughts:

Poetry is one of my favorite genres of writing.  I love the melody of the words, the emotionally charged stanzas, and the powerful images it can create.  Poems are like music to me - they leave a lasting and lingering impression that I can recite lines for days (just like I do with song lyrics.)  So, when I was given the opportunity to read Diana Raab's latest book of poetry, Lust, I eagerly agreed.  I wanted someone new to read and these poems sounded like the perfect fit for my curious reading mood.

Luckily, Lust by Diana Raab turned out to be the right pick for me.  Filled with sensual, provocative, and uninhibited poems, this book shocked and energized me.  I found myself riveted by Raab's exploration of long-term and short-term relationships through 'lust' and 'sex'.  The physical and emotional aspects of seduction, fantasy, and addiction made for some rather titillating reading.  And the raw, honest manner in which she writes created some very engaging narratives.  Plus, her poems celebrate intimacy with such fervor and passion, that I couldn't help but want to keep reading her work.  In fact, I'm looking forward to reading more of Raab's poetry in the future.

Lust is a book of poems that I would recommend to fans of Diana Raab and fans of poetry - you will fall in love with this book! Check it out!  Here's the TLC Book Tour schedule for: Lust

Thank you to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for providing me with a copy of this book!