Take a photo of a barcode or cover
A review by dejnozkova
Calling Out After Slaughter by M. Carmen Lane
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
3.0
This is a more unknown poet and I know that her work would be extremely valuable to queer people and indigenous and/or black people and I think that she should get exposure for her raw and powerful work. Her poems come off simple in appearance but they rip open scars —not only those of her own but those that members of her community suffer as a whole. Lane boldly covers sensitive topics like sexual assault, racism, hate crimes, racial/ethnic identity, sexual and ethnic identity, and her own personal traumas. Just like the contrasts in identities and issues she covers, the language she uses is a jarring contrast between vulgarity and tender vulnerability.
While I have a respect for this collection of poetry I do admit it wasn’t to my personal taste in way of style. She is a lot more blunt and in my opinion her work doesn’t come off as “poetic” to me (a quality that I recognize is subjective, especially in regards to contemporary poetry); I tend to like poetry that has more of an eloquence, more nuance and metaphor, clever turns of phrase, wrapping tough or intimate topics in artistry and elegance, etc. whereas the short staccato’d style she employs doesn’t give much opportunity for her voice to breathe and sink in; her poems feel more like gut-punches that are designed to overwhelm. Which again some people may like so 🤷🏼♀️ That being said I would like to see Lane to have a larger readership because I know there definitely are people who would appreciate both her style and her voice.
While I have a respect for this collection of poetry I do admit it wasn’t to my personal taste in way of style. She is a lot more blunt and in my opinion her work doesn’t come off as “poetic” to me (a quality that I recognize is subjective, especially in regards to contemporary poetry); I tend to like poetry that has more of an eloquence, more nuance and metaphor, clever turns of phrase, wrapping tough or intimate topics in artistry and elegance, etc. whereas the short staccato’d style she employs doesn’t give much opportunity for her voice to breathe and sink in; her poems feel more like gut-punches that are designed to overwhelm. Which again some people may like so 🤷🏼♀️ That being said I would like to see Lane to have a larger readership because I know there definitely are people who would appreciate both her style and her voice.