Scan barcode
A review by clemrain
Teaching My Mother How to Give Birth by Warsan Shire
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
1.5
This poetry collection reads like an edgy, unfiltered notes app. It’s more lyrical than poetic. I think many of the poems needed more revision, and a more cohesive story needed to draw them all together.
The themes and lines are full of shock factor. What isn’t shock factor, is cliche and surface level connections to religion. Using the two most simple prayers and phrases of Islam is not adding more to the conversation. I think it needs more complexity to be a strong voice on the topic.
The poem structures are simple. i was hoping to see more command of language and style.
I wanted to like it more, but I had no strong positive feelings toward it. No connection, and it’s not because I’m not familiar with what’s being written.
The themes and lines are full of shock factor. What isn’t shock factor, is cliche and surface level connections to religion. Using the two most simple prayers and phrases of Islam is not adding more to the conversation. I think it needs more complexity to be a strong voice on the topic.
The poem structures are simple. i was hoping to see more command of language and style.
I wanted to like it more, but I had no strong positive feelings toward it. No connection, and it’s not because I’m not familiar with what’s being written.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Sexual violence
Moderate: War