Reading this poetry book is a bit like sitting down at midnight scanning someone’s Facebook timeline. You come across what seems to be a random selection of poems, prose, rants, and pictures.
A few items stand out. One short story is worth reading just for the great twist ending. “The Quick Buck Fxxk,” about working in a payday loan company, is a breath of humour and fresh air. “Eagle Red’s and Sausages” (Yes, the apostrophe is correct) is another gem, a detailed musing on the poet’s relationship with a casual customer at the store where she works, and her subtle amazement at the intensity of her feelings. Some of the prose work, like “Dreamcast,” is more poetic than the poetry.
However, it’s quite obvious that this work has not been edited. There are numerous proofreading errors, and this author doesn’t know the difference between “lay,” “lie,” and “laid.”
When I read poetry, I’m looking for superior handling of the English language: the evocation of emotion and the stimulation of my own creative thoughts about the universe. I want a polished composite jewel, with light gleaming in twists and turns deep within it. I’m not looking for a kid’s treehouse made of awkwardly joined planks.
I am giving this work three stars because it is reasonable writing from a beginning writer. There’s nothing wrong with any of the works in it, but there are few pieces in it that stand out in any way from the numerous similar works that cross my desk each month.
It is not a poetry of words, images, or feelings. It is a smattering of thoughts written mostly in a stream-of-consciousness style.
It’s difficult to know who to recommend this book to, because I have no idea who it would appeal to. Perhaps checking out the author’s website at The Panty Junkyard would give you an idea.
(3 / 5)