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monicayk97's review
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.0
cathrinereads's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
4.25
kdawn999's review
4.0
This is a strong collection of poems that also stand solidly on their own. The richness of collecting these poems is that narrative threads add up to characterize the poet/speaker, his parents, and his partner. In this way, I really feel that I get to know the voice here. The poems are serious and playful, often clever. I enjoy the lines about west Texas and the joyful expression of queerness. There are poems about college campus life, cats, and (tenderly) poop. I like the threads of artistic defiance that rise up to challenge the thoughtless words of white professors and classmates who mistakenly view poetry has having to follow certain rules to be legitimate. There is good rule-breaking here.
thismustbemyexit's review
there were some nice lines but no imagery that really stuck with me. i think i’m just not the audience for this one
ashliesydel's review
fast-paced
3.5
OMFG this book is soo random and weird and a little unsettling but also really smart and real and I'm soo conflicted.
I randomly selected this book because I was craving poetry. I had to run out of town and saw this as an available audio book. 2 hours run time. I figured I could start it in the car and finish it off on my night walk.
This book seriously has me questioning the subjectiveness and art form of poetry.
Themes in this collection include Homophobia, Racism, Parents, Self-Discovery, Remembrance of Lives Lost to Violence, Interracial Dating, Childhood, Sex/Intimacy, and Covid. So, all of that is really heavy, well written, emotional, relatable, made me say wow.
But then sprinkled in we have random pieces about poop. Yep poop, skat play, keeping a good diet and maintaining a healthy anus, the smell and consistency of poop, how you shouldn't write about poop but he's totally going to do it. Like what?! His eggroll penis, Like I'm sorry but where did this come from?? There are more really random things like loving someone so much you will eat their hair.
But just when you're like, this guy is weird af I think I need to stop reading, BAM something thoughtful and emotional about a man who died at Pulse.
I checked the ratings this morning and there were several 5 Star Ratings. I'm finna finish this, not sure of what my rating will be because it's like as much as I want to say ewww poop, I can't not acknowledge the beauty of the other works in this collection.
He knew what he was doing with this one.
I randomly selected this book because I was craving poetry. I had to run out of town and saw this as an available audio book. 2 hours run time. I figured I could start it in the car and finish it off on my night walk.
This book seriously has me questioning the subjectiveness and art form of poetry.
Themes in this collection include Homophobia, Racism, Parents, Self-Discovery, Remembrance of Lives Lost to Violence, Interracial Dating, Childhood, Sex/Intimacy, and Covid. So, all of that is really heavy, well written, emotional, relatable, made me say wow.
But then sprinkled in we have random pieces about poop. Yep poop, skat play, keeping a good diet and maintaining a healthy anus, the smell and consistency of poop, how you shouldn't write about poop but he's totally going to do it. Like what?! His eggroll penis, Like I'm sorry but where did this come from?? There are more really random things like loving someone so much you will eat their hair.
But just when you're like, this guy is weird af I think I need to stop reading, BAM something thoughtful and emotional about a man who died at Pulse.
I checked the ratings this morning and there were several 5 Star Ratings. I'm finna finish this, not sure of what my rating will be because it's like as much as I want to say ewww poop, I can't not acknowledge the beauty of the other works in this collection.
He knew what he was doing with this one.