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4.43 AVERAGE
4.43 AVERAGE
challenging
informative
reflective
fast-paced
vivid and dense and filled with incredible poems and lines - can't wait to read more of his poetry
I'm not sure how to talk about this book except to say it's a phenomenal collection of poetry. Reading Billy-Ray Belcourt feels like an enormous privilege. It's a collection where I had to stop myself from collecting every other line in my phone notes because it's all just so good.
I love his play with language, his seamless shifts between tones, his irreverent humour, his powerful interrogation of colonialism, and, of course, the queerness.
"A white boyfriend of mine wanted me to be less beholden to the clouds. / I told him we are all at the mercy of the sky, for better or worse. / Part of me thinks he doesn't deserve to know / about this mode of attention, this art of description. / But I can't keep secrets. I am addicted / to the high of letting my own words forsake me."
"I make out with my imaginary NDN lover / on the ashes of every Canadian pastoral poem ever written."
"My hobbies include / not dying / obsessively apologizing to the moon for all that she has to witness"
I love his play with language, his seamless shifts between tones, his irreverent humour, his powerful interrogation of colonialism, and, of course, the queerness.
"A white boyfriend of mine wanted me to be less beholden to the clouds. / I told him we are all at the mercy of the sky, for better or worse. / Part of me thinks he doesn't deserve to know / about this mode of attention, this art of description. / But I can't keep secrets. I am addicted / to the high of letting my own words forsake me."
"I make out with my imaginary NDN lover / on the ashes of every Canadian pastoral poem ever written."
"My hobbies include / not dying / obsessively apologizing to the moon for all that she has to witness"
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
This made me want to seek out more of Billy Ray Belcourts books. Definitely an author to watch!
My first Billy-Ray Belcourt book. I get the sense of a response to previous poems/work in here and it feels intriguing. I started losing track in the last few poems, which felt a little over my head, so I hope to reread this in the future.
challenging
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
Belcourt continues to ravage my heart with his cutting imagery and wordplay against colonial histories, literary theory, the colonial canon, Canadian exceptionalism, homophobia, love, and existence. A whirlwind of an experience.
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
This books delivers everything. It is theory. It is history. It is political. It is love. It is lyric. It plays with form and it plays with your feelings. With contemporary “political poetry” (all poetry? I don’t know) I sometimes feel this missing humanity - like there is only destruction and none of the beauty of living. All suffering and no love. This book is not like that. It looks at the world from all angles, and what emerges is a strong queer, indigenous voice.
The poems in this collection are so beautiful, emotional, and touching. Even if you don't normally read a lot of poetry, Billy-Ray Belcourt's poems are approachable for the average reader. I would highly recommend picking up a copy.