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4.29 AVERAGE
4.29 AVERAGE
dark
sad
There are some beautiful gems in this collection of poems. I still find myself haunted by the line, “The things I’ve thought I’ve loved / could sink an ocean liner, and likely would // if given the chance” from the poem “Portrait of the Alcoholic with Home Invader and Housefly.”
This is a breathtakingly beautiful collection. Read it immediately.
Teeth, god, hunger, and especially tongues are the poetic anatomy of this strange and near-perfect debut collection.
Some of my favourites:
'Do You Speak Persian?'
'Calling A Wolf a Wolf (Inpatient)'
'Portrait of the Alcoholic with Withdrawal'
'Exciting the Canvas'
'A Boy Steps into the Water'
'Wake Me Up When It's my Birthday'
'Orchids are Sprouting from the Floorboards'
'Unburnable the Cold is Flooding Our Lives'
'Ways to Harm a Thing'
'So Often the Body Becomes a Distraction'
'Portrait of the Alcoholic Stranded Alone on a Desert Island'
'Do You Speak Persian?'
'Calling A Wolf a Wolf (Inpatient)'
'Portrait of the Alcoholic with Withdrawal'
'Exciting the Canvas'
'A Boy Steps into the Water'
'Wake Me Up When It's my Birthday'
'Orchids are Sprouting from the Floorboards'
'Unburnable the Cold is Flooding Our Lives'
'Ways to Harm a Thing'
'So Often the Body Becomes a Distraction'
'Portrait of the Alcoholic Stranded Alone on a Desert Island'
At the time of writing this, well over a month since I finished reading it, I just discovered that Kaveh Akbar is coming to where I live soon which I may go to depending on if I have enough money for tickets (lol). But I thought this poetry collection was really gorgeous, quite haunting in fact, and what Kaveh has done for contemporary poetry is utterly extraordinary. I have sort of fallen out of the habit of writing poetry--I am too self aware, perhaps, and I have other things to write. But Akbar makes me want to write again, reminds me of the unique power that poetry has, which is beautiful.
I haven’t felt so inspired in a long time. Many times, I was compelled to put the volume down to write. This is what grace looks like. This is what patience and craftship look like. The words glimmered like diamonds or a bouquet of flowers, and I consumed with ardor.
Solid 5 stars. Great read. Goes beyond the cliché level. Keeps you on your feet with the stylistic changes.
Lovely read. Didn't want it to end.
Lovely read. Didn't want it to end.
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism