Reviews

Hold by Bob Hicok

renmarshallbrown's review

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3.0

I've always been a huge Hicok fan, but this collection did not hit as hard as his work usually does. The first half of poems were great, but something happened in the second half of the book that totally turned me off. The political poems weren't poetry, just word vomit. Hicok and I even agree on most issues, but the poems were so lazy why even write them? Here's an example of what I can't believe even made it to print:

"I don't think it's my biz whether my jizz ultimately becomes a tot or not"

Just no.

rmwh's review

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4.0

Some moments punch you in the face and others leave you dumbstruck, confused, but wishing you understood.

natbaldino's review

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5.0

I was talking to a friend about his feeling that poets get worse over time, that when they approach old age they run out of things to say, or become too wistful. I don’t know if I agree, but I do know that I fully believe Bob Hicok will never feel old to me. Every new book of his I read makes me believe in the power of poetry, humor, tinged goofiness.

aarikdanielsen's review

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4.0

The first things you notice about Hicok's work is how funny, self-referential and pop-culture savvy it is. But he's also profound in a sly way, with just one turn of phrase turning the whole poem on its head. I'll definitely be seeking out more of his work.

jmmerril's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

4.0

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