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jayisreading's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
4.25
Having read Felon and finding it utterly provocative, I was keen on reading some of his earlier works, and it didn’t let me down. Betts explores prison life and survival in this collection, as well as the troubles and slipperiness of time that one is likely to encounter while in prison. I was really taken to the ghazals that Betts used as touchpoints, capturing a beautiful kind of lyricism that differed from the other poems in this collection (though, I should say that they were just as lyrical, but in a different way).
I appreciate how Betts eloquently captures the problems of incarceration in the United States, while incarcerated, and after being let out (as explored in Felon). He brings such a unique and important voice to the poetry world, and I continue to look forward to his future works.
Some favorites: all the poems titled “Ghazal,” “Near Nightfall,” “The Spanish Word for Solitude,” “Two Nightmares,” “And What if Every Cuss Word Was a Sin,” “Ode to a Kite,” “An Opened Vein,” and “The Truth About Four Leaf Clovers”
Read for the Sealey Challenge.
Content Warnings
Minor: Suicide, Self harm, and Rape
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