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A review by mackenzieb260e
Missing You, Metropolis by Gary Jackson, Yusef Komunyakaa
5.0
As much as I love poetry and love to pore over it, I think sometimes that contemporary poetry doesn't do a great job of being accessible. One thing I'm loving about Gary Jackson's "Missing You, Metropolis" is that I'm already thinking of all the people who I'm going to send a copy of this book to - some of the recipients will be poets, but some won't be. And I do think we need more collections that are accessible in that way.
These poems are definitely narrative in nature, often telling a story, and delighting in intelligent turns at the poems' ends. Gary Jackson's got a somewhat conversational style, without sacrificing an attention to language and syntax. I found his line breaks more relaxed than other poets, which was refreshing. His work does not dwell so deeply in image that there's no sense of plot or character - so that when an image does occur, I'm ready for it. I'm not smothered by it, as can sometimes happen.
Of course, there's the subject matter. Others have written about it, so I won't go on too long, but the blend of superheroes and comics with the notions of race in America, friendship, sexuality, grief - all of it comes together to add to the collection's attractiveness and intrigue. I felt "let in" by poems of characters I've known almost my entire life, and then asked to empathize and think about them - and real people, around me - in different ways than I am perhaps used to.
I'd pick a favorite from the collection, but there's so many good ones: "The Dilemma of Lois Lane," "Iron Man's Intervention, Starring the Avengers," and "Luke Cage Tells It Like It Is" all stick with me, just off the top of my head.
In short - excellent collection. I'll be reading it again and passing it to friends. There's a reason Komunyakaa chose "Missing You, Metropolis" for the Cave Canem poetry prize.
These poems are definitely narrative in nature, often telling a story, and delighting in intelligent turns at the poems' ends. Gary Jackson's got a somewhat conversational style, without sacrificing an attention to language and syntax. I found his line breaks more relaxed than other poets, which was refreshing. His work does not dwell so deeply in image that there's no sense of plot or character - so that when an image does occur, I'm ready for it. I'm not smothered by it, as can sometimes happen.
Of course, there's the subject matter. Others have written about it, so I won't go on too long, but the blend of superheroes and comics with the notions of race in America, friendship, sexuality, grief - all of it comes together to add to the collection's attractiveness and intrigue. I felt "let in" by poems of characters I've known almost my entire life, and then asked to empathize and think about them - and real people, around me - in different ways than I am perhaps used to.
I'd pick a favorite from the collection, but there's so many good ones: "The Dilemma of Lois Lane," "Iron Man's Intervention, Starring the Avengers," and "Luke Cage Tells It Like It Is" all stick with me, just off the top of my head.
In short - excellent collection. I'll be reading it again and passing it to friends. There's a reason Komunyakaa chose "Missing You, Metropolis" for the Cave Canem poetry prize.