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skoppelkam's review against another edition
5.0
Somebody else just wrote "god damn" in their review and like... yeah.
Read this black, queer poet and don't expect her to be any one thing.
Favorites were (and going back to see the irreverent titles is a joy):
- "Had my parents not been separated after my father's traffic stop, arrest, and deportation from the united states of America" (beautiful and deeply sad imagining that reminds me of Ross Gay's "A Small Needful Fact"
- "god is good all the time"
- "finding a black queer woman love with whom you are compatible is like finding a watermelon seed lodged in the pupil of a whole friend chicken"
- "i'm the type of fanciful warlock who cooks up irrational fears i my idle mind with a crack plastered between my cheeks"
- "ode to mouth"
- "black spells"
- "un-named"
- "water"
Read this black, queer poet and don't expect her to be any one thing.
Favorites were (and going back to see the irreverent titles is a joy):
- "Had my parents not been separated after my father's traffic stop, arrest, and deportation from the united states of America" (beautiful and deeply sad imagining that reminds me of Ross Gay's "A Small Needful Fact"
- "god is good all the time"
- "finding a black queer woman love with whom you are compatible is like finding a watermelon seed lodged in the pupil of a whole friend chicken"
- "i'm the type of fanciful warlock who cooks up irrational fears i my idle mind with a crack plastered between my cheeks"
- "ode to mouth"
- "black spells"
- "un-named"
- "water"
analyticali's review against another edition
5.0
I don’t read much poetry, but this book rewards readers with creative structure and incredible narratives painted in fewer words than one could imagine being enough. Sparse and rich and shimmering.
I’ve gotten to hear Porsha Olayiwola read special poems, one new one at a time, at events around Boston. Those are powerful but civic and specific. This collection is personal and sweeping.
I’ve gotten to hear Porsha Olayiwola read special poems, one new one at a time, at events around Boston. Those are powerful but civic and specific. This collection is personal and sweeping.
caitlin_waddick's review against another edition
5.0
Wonderful! These poems are original, well-written, and authentic. You might say they are too niche, as if they are only for a person like the authors’ characters: black, lesbian, poor, ghetto, Chicago Southside, immigrant. That characterization may capture the setting, sometimes. The writing is what wins on every page.
I finished, yet didn’t finish, this book over a week ago. The poems continue to call to me, demanding to be read again: “You aren’t done with me yet.” Rereading made me deepen my appreciation and pleasure in Olayiwola’s true expressions.
I usually read prose. Thank you for making me want to read poetry!
I finished, yet didn’t finish, this book over a week ago. The poems continue to call to me, demanding to be read again: “You aren’t done with me yet.” Rereading made me deepen my appreciation and pleasure in Olayiwola’s true expressions.
I usually read prose. Thank you for making me want to read poetry!
twirlsandwhirls's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
I thoroughly enjoyed the poems in this book, from the familiar ones I've seen performed to the new ones that shook me to my core. Porsha's voice is unique and necessary. "God Is Good All the Time" and many others beautifully played with form and line structure. Many of the poems highlight different aspects of the Black experience through the lens of a queer woman. I loved the nuance. Nothing about this book was universal or prescriptive about blackness. It presented a particular, unique perspective, pushing back at the idea that we all go through life the same way or are some type of monolith. The poems are also about so much more than blackness or queerness. Many of them call out racism while highlighting the beauty in the world. I need to reread it, too.
mcipswitch's review
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.25