A review by ladythursday
The Heartbeat of the Universe: Poems from Asimov's Science Fiction and Analog Science Fiction and Fact 2012–2022 by Emily Hockaday

4.0

First of all, what a gorgeous title! It is both eye-catching and very appropriate for an anthology of modern speculative poems about the universe. Because what is poetry but the heartbeat of reality?

The book is edited by Emily Hockaday and is made up of 5 general chapters. There was a cohesiveness to the parts and ordering of the poems, but nothing too distinct. This is a great book to have on your nightstand so that you can flip open a random poem and ponder over your existence in this vast universe. 

As with almost all anthologies, there were some poems that stood out for me more than others. 

My favorite poems were:

• Mostly Hydrogen by Jack Martin
• Postulate 2 by Timons Esaias
• Sparking the Matter by Tod McCoy
• Almost Certainly a Time Traveler by Jarod K. Anderson
• At the Natural History Museum by Bruce Boston
• All the Weight by Holly Day
• Leaving by Bruce McAllister
• Quantum Entanglement by Fred D. White
• Music Remembers by Ashok K. Banker
• The impending apocalypse helps me maintain perspective by Steven Dondlinger
• Terra Incognita by Fred D. White
• Continuum by G.O. Clark
• Your Homeworls is Gone by Leslie J. Anderson

DISCLAIMER: Ebook provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review