A review by jayisreading
Aster of Ceremonies: poems by Jjjjjerome Ellis

hopeful inspiring reflective slow-paced

4.5

How does one describe this poetry collection, in which words don’t take their usual form? Jjjjjerome Ellis crafts their poems in a manner that asks the reader to feel the way they navigate the world as a Black stutterer. Ellis tenderly approaches music and language through homages, benedictions, and more. I was particularly taken to “Benediction, Movement 2 (Octave),” which I think exemplifies how Ellis gently yet firmly pushes the reader to dwell in the same time and space as them, showing how they are not in-sync with normative expectations.

I know this won’t work for every reader, but I really appreciated how Ellis cited a number of people throughout this book to acknowledge the influence they had on the poems. It reminds me a fair bit of the importance of citational practices and the importance of honoring shared knowledge, especially among Black thinkers.
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