Dave Seter’s review of “Bright Dead Things” by Ada Limón: In life’s trajectory from childhood story hour to adult happy hour, good storytellers are in demand. While some theories of poetry argue for silencing the “I” of authorship, Ada Limón’s brand of poetry is personal and emotionally honest. If a mere book of poetry can invite the reader into the kitchen for coffee and a story, Limón’s new collection Bright Dead Things does just that. Bright Dead Things explores the duality of joy and suffering. The phrase “bright dead things” comes from the collection’s poem “I Remember the Carrots.” Limón writes: “When I was a kid, I was excited about carrots, / their spidery neon tops in the garden’s plot.” The child, wanting to possess this beauty, rips out the immature crop and is scolded by her father. The poem expresses regret but also resistance to a life of passivity. Right out of…
Tag: poets
Body On The Wall by Michelle Wing
Michelle Wing’s captivating book of poetry, Body On The Wall — is divided into four elements: Wind, Fire, Earth and Water. Michelle delves into the complex array of emotions with an artist’s eye and sure hand, transporting the reader from piece to piece with honesty and intensity. In Wind, readers feel the breeze, the cleansing air, the playfulness, despair and hope. In Fire, the rich texture and complex layers travel a labyrinth of emotional experiences. In Earth, more ups and downs on the emotional ladder of pain, humiliation, awareness, hope, reality. In Water, new life, satisfaction, rejection, sharp pain, settling, calming and humor. Joanna McClure, an original San Francisco Beat Poet: I enjoyed reading Michelle Wing’s poetry — full of her rich and varied multi-cultural life — its sensual pleasures as well as its dark depths. Kathy Myers reviews Body On The Wall: I wish I could reach through the cover…