Reviews

Salad Anniversary by Machi Tawara

sriq's review against another edition

"On Kujukuri Beach/
taking picture after picture/
I may only throw away"

"After you have gone/
evening gathers in my heart--
all the scenery is you."

"Another Saturday of waiting for you./
Time spent waiting--
food a woman lives on"

"I cherish the bit of crimson/
staining your finger/
as you open a raw oyster for me."

"Evening, and I wish/
you and I were anatomical models/
labeled simply 'human'"

momoxshi's review

reflective

 

"Marry me,"
after two canned cocktails—
are you sure you want to say that?

+

Poetry is not a genre I usually go for but Machi Tawara's Salad Anniversary gives sparkle to seemingly ordinary things. It's something that even those like me who aren't used to the genre would appreciate. 

dabina's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

beautiful writing

daramillz's review against another edition

5.0

Lovely, serene, and just the right touch of melancholy.

leagueofrobots's review against another edition

5.0

The power of simplicity. This was my first experience with tanka poetry. Machi Tawara doesn't waste a word. I enjoyed this so much I read some of the poems half a dozen times before moving on to the next one. Her imagery is so simple, yet the repetition of things like tomatoes, baseball, music and seasons felt so true of relationships. Especially short ones where every little event becomes magnified in memory. Wonderful!

As a side note, this is (apparently) the ***300th*** book I've read, not counting some forgotten school books, books read to me as a child or self-help books I was too embarrassed to add on here. Anyway, congratulations to me! Thanks to all the writers out there.

mikaoriru's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

persephtiyareads's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

alisarae's review

4.0

Tawara writes about the problems of modern love (from an introvert’s perspective, for sure), daily life, family relationships, and self-doubts. Even though she’s Japanese, and didn’t have to deal with eHarmony or Tindr when she was writing it, it’s super easy to nod along, smile ruefully because it’s true, and see yourself in her words.

This is a perfect read if you want to enjoy the structure of poetry, would like something that our references our contemporary condition, and is light yet thoughtful.

Full review on Papercuttts.

katieeliza's review against another edition

5.0

What a fantastic collection of poetry.

The poet has a deft hand with language, using realism to create emotion that never overwhelms but embraces. A fantastic example of contemporary poetry.

sabrinag98's review against another edition

funny lighthearted mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

4.0