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toniclark's review against another edition
5.0
Wow, a gorgeous short collection! As the Rattle editors put it, " It's a tribute to the Arab world and Arab singers, to refugees and refusal, to hope and home, to sorrow and song." Beautiful writing — evocative, graceful, poems of heartbreak and hope. I also loved the variety of forms (pantoums, villanelle, ghazals), which flowed so beautifully and naturally. And also, a poem of 40 lines in which the first 20 are repeated in reverse order (and it's a shape poem, as well). There must be a name for this form or literary device.
I don't think I could choose a favorite poem in the collection, but here is my favorite passage (quoted by another Goodreads reader, I see):
War -
hums, I will make love
to you in a bed of blood and faith,
will show you her lips,
hide her teeth, her money-scented
breath, the rust on her tongue, the children
underneath her fingernails.
— from “Naming Things”
I do wish, however, that I'd known there were "Notes" at the end. References to these at the bottom of individual poem pages would have been most welcome and would have increased my understanding and enjoyment. I did reread some of the poems after finding the Notes, which contain the meanings of many Arabic words and phrases.
I don't think I could choose a favorite poem in the collection, but here is my favorite passage (quoted by another Goodreads reader, I see):
War -
hums, I will make love
to you in a bed of blood and faith,
will show you her lips,
hide her teeth, her money-scented
breath, the rust on her tongue, the children
underneath her fingernails.
— from “Naming Things”
I do wish, however, that I'd known there were "Notes" at the end. References to these at the bottom of individual poem pages would have been most welcome and would have increased my understanding and enjoyment. I did reread some of the poems after finding the Notes, which contain the meanings of many Arabic words and phrases.
abetterjulie's review against another edition
3.0
I wish I'd known there was a glossary at the end. I feel like I could have connected more deeply to many of the visuals and concepts. As it was, I went back and re-read, but for me, the first read of a poem is often the emotional impression I keep.
The universal experience of music as a cultural touchstone and musicians who mean more than a voice on the radio is definitely something to which I can relate. This collection seems to go beyond this, and outline how an entire nation can be saved by this experience.
My two favorites of the collection were Listen and Naming Things. These were powerful and drew me in to read over and over. I want to include my favorite passage here so that maybe you'll go pick up this chapbook:
War -
hums, I will make love
to you in a bed of blood and faith,
will show you her lips,
hide her teeth, her money-scented
breath, the rust on her tongue, the children
underneath her fingernails.
-pg 19 Naming Things
The universal experience of music as a cultural touchstone and musicians who mean more than a voice on the radio is definitely something to which I can relate. This collection seems to go beyond this, and outline how an entire nation can be saved by this experience.
My two favorites of the collection were Listen and Naming Things. These were powerful and drew me in to read over and over. I want to include my favorite passage here so that maybe you'll go pick up this chapbook:
War -
hums, I will make love
to you in a bed of blood and faith,
will show you her lips,
hide her teeth, her money-scented
breath, the rust on her tongue, the children
underneath her fingernails.
-pg 19 Naming Things
beirutibombshell's review against another edition
5.0
this made me cry for sure...I guess poetry you connect with does that to you
rimd's review
4.0
So grateful this collection exists. I don't think I've ever related more to a book than with this one.
abbynlewis's review
5.0
If perfection were to embody a shape, it would be the shape of this chapbook,
and
if perfection were to talk, it would be in the voice of each speaker in each poem in this collection.
and
if perfection were to talk, it would be in the voice of each speaker in each poem in this collection.
abetterjulie's review
3.0
I wish I'd known there was a glossary at the end. I feel like I could have connected more deeply to many of the visuals and concepts. As it was, I went back and re-read, but for me, the first read of a poem is often the emotional impression I keep.
The universal experience of music as a cultural touchstone and musicians who mean more than a voice on the radio is definitely something to which I can relate. This collection seems to go beyond this, and outline how an entire nation can be saved by this experience.
My two favorites of the collection were Listen and Naming Things. These were powerful and drew me in to read over and over. I want to include my favorite passage here so that maybe you'll go pick up this chapbook:
War -
hums, I will make love
to you in a bed of blood and faith,
will show you her lips,
hide her teeth, her money-scented
breath, the rust on her tongue, the children
underneath her fingernails.
-pg 19 Naming Things
The universal experience of music as a cultural touchstone and musicians who mean more than a voice on the radio is definitely something to which I can relate. This collection seems to go beyond this, and outline how an entire nation can be saved by this experience.
My two favorites of the collection were Listen and Naming Things. These were powerful and drew me in to read over and over. I want to include my favorite passage here so that maybe you'll go pick up this chapbook:
War -
hums, I will make love
to you in a bed of blood and faith,
will show you her lips,
hide her teeth, her money-scented
breath, the rust on her tongue, the children
underneath her fingernails.
-pg 19 Naming Things
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