mgreco5's review against another edition
4.0
I must say I love Kim Addonizio! Her newest poetry collection definitely doesn't disappoint. The only reason I give it 4 stars instead of 5 is because I found some of her pieces hard to relate to from my perspective. On my first reading of "Tell Me," every poem struck a cord. Perhaps it is unfair to rate this book in light of an earlier one, and to that end I say: It's not you, Kim, it's me.
Overall I really enjoyed the poems here and I even got a few great poem drafts and ideas of my own. Kim is really known as a sensual poet and she certainly doesn't disappoint in this latest collection. But in this exploration of sexuality, there are other themes, such as God and world events (the Tsunami of 2006 for example), that add layer upon layer to her work. Definitely worth a read and highly recommended!
Overall I really enjoyed the poems here and I even got a few great poem drafts and ideas of my own. Kim is really known as a sensual poet and she certainly doesn't disappoint in this latest collection. But in this exploration of sexuality, there are other themes, such as God and world events (the Tsunami of 2006 for example), that add layer upon layer to her work. Definitely worth a read and highly recommended!
glcubel's review against another edition
5.0
This is the book of poetry that made me love poetry. Gritty, provocative, and elegant with graceful allusions. Addonizio’s poems are like getting drunk at a party and have a deep conversation you can’t remember in the morning. All you know is that it made you feel something.
witchybeach's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 some poems were enjoyable and profound, others were not my cup of tea.
vulpasvulpas's review against another edition
5.0
I love kim addonizio so much I would honestly kiss her while she put out her cigarettes on my body
merrybelletrist's review
4.0
Okay, I'm experimenting with a different approach to writing reviews. I actually made notes as I read this! It helps that I didn't start with a novel which is longer and can't be read in one sitting (normally. Depends on me mood know what I mean?). I've broken down this review into categories. There were poems that I finished reading and I was automatically like "favorite!" and others I liked but was unsure about. So without that explained. You may begin maestro...
Favorites
What I noticed about my poems from this list and that they all were about relationships or love in some way. I believe Ms. Addonizio is great about writing about the downside of love, etc. My favorites in this category were:
For You
Forms of Love
You With The Crack Running Through You
Crossing
Suite pour les Amour Perdus
Tough to Read
When I say tough I don't mean in syntax or it didn't make sense. I mean the subject matter hit very close to home. I recently lost my grandmother and one of the poems that landed in this category, There Seems No Way to Get At It just really hit me. It's like why did you wait so long to ask important questions like what's your favorite color grandma? I knew my grandma, but I didn't know her.
Poems in this category:
Easeful Death
There Seems to Be Not to Get At It
Malice
Like But Not Love
Do you ever read something and you're like: I really, really liked that but I didn't quite love it. It has bits and pieces that you honest to God loved, but other bits that you didn't care for? Sort of like a 3.5-star rating on a book.
In this category
Storm Catechism
The First Line is The Deepest
The Smallest Town Alive
Laugh About It Poems
I love to laugh. But when it comes to my poetry reading tastes I don't often do it so I had to make note of this.
Poems in this category:
Book Burning
God Olde
And finally the last but very important one.
Poems That Make Me Think
These poems made stop and go damn. Especially Semper from this category. I've never really thought of Ms. Addonizio as a political poet, but now I see she writes about an entire spectrum of things. Considering when this book was released (in 2004 three years after 9/11) it was a topic that was everywhere. Semper starts like her other poetry and I wasn't expecting what I got, but it made me think about war and how it relates to masculinity.
Poems in this category
Semper
Half Blind Elegies
Ms. Addonizio is rapidly becoming one of my favorite poets. I can by the fact by how excited I was that not only was she releasing a new book of poems, but a memoir. Oh yes, I love a good biography! I can't wait to read both.
Favorites
What I noticed about my poems from this list and that they all were about relationships or love in some way. I believe Ms. Addonizio is great about writing about the downside of love, etc. My favorites in this category were:
For You
Forms of Love
You With The Crack Running Through You
Crossing
Suite pour les Amour Perdus
Tough to Read
When I say tough I don't mean in syntax or it didn't make sense. I mean the subject matter hit very close to home. I recently lost my grandmother and one of the poems that landed in this category, There Seems No Way to Get At It just really hit me. It's like why did you wait so long to ask important questions like what's your favorite color grandma? I knew my grandma, but I didn't know her.
Poems in this category:
Easeful Death
There Seems to Be Not to Get At It
Malice
Like But Not Love
Do you ever read something and you're like: I really, really liked that but I didn't quite love it. It has bits and pieces that you honest to God loved, but other bits that you didn't care for? Sort of like a 3.5-star rating on a book.
In this category
Storm Catechism
The First Line is The Deepest
The Smallest Town Alive
Laugh About It Poems
I love to laugh. But when it comes to my poetry reading tastes I don't often do it so I had to make note of this.
Poems in this category:
Book Burning
God Olde
And finally the last but very important one.
Poems That Make Me Think
These poems made stop and go damn. Especially Semper from this category. I've never really thought of Ms. Addonizio as a political poet, but now I see she writes about an entire spectrum of things. Considering when this book was released (in 2004 three years after 9/11) it was a topic that was everywhere. Semper starts like her other poetry and I wasn't expecting what I got, but it made me think about war and how it relates to masculinity.
Poems in this category
Semper
Half Blind Elegies
Ms. Addonizio is rapidly becoming one of my favorite poets. I can by the fact by how excited I was that not only was she releasing a new book of poems, but a memoir. Oh yes, I love a good biography! I can't wait to read both.
expendablemudge's review
3.0
This review has been revised and can now be seen at Expendable Mudge Muses Aloud.
satyridae's review
5.0
I picked this up at the perfect time. Addonizio kicked my feet out from under me so many times in this book. My eyes did not fill with tears, rather she tore gasping, choking sobs from me with her words. This is one for the permanent collection.