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marginaliant's review against another edition
2.0
Favorite poems: In the event of an apocalypse be ready to die, Eclogue for personae
seebrandyread's review
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
Anodyne–something that heals or soothes pain, a medicine. Perhaps, if taken too far, something that dilutes or deadens. What pains the narrators of Khadijah Queen’s poetry is sometimes clear, sometimes not. Fear/threat of apocalypse. A depressed child. Existential angst. Fibromyalgia. It’s also both clear and unclear what eases this pain. Family. Language. Reading or writing these poems. Queen seems most interested in the words themselves, the images they evoke, their sounds and connotations, less concerned with literal representation than encouraging the reader to have their own experience and interpretation of her words. Her poems are also elusive because of her use and rejection of punctuation and her awareness of poetry as a visual format. No two poems look alike even when the difference is as subtle as line spacing. She plays with forms as a way to subvert meaning and to call on her poetic influences including three grid poems in the style of Mark McMorris that place lines and space in differently-shaped grids to create poems with a choose-your-own-adventure feel. This collection is ultimately about life in its physical and spiritual forms. It’s about the ways we keep our bodies alive by caring for them directly or by finding the will to keep them alive. They’re also about the living, breathing nature of language and how it can be a burden or boon to our survival.
pedantichumbug's review
challenging
emotional
slow-paced
4.0
After I finished "Declination" I thought it was the best poem I had read in years, but then the last one... Just wow. The second half of the collection is much stronger, so keep on reading even if it doesn't sit well with you at first.
stefanicox's review against another edition
5.0
I never know how to talk about poetry, just that it feeds something deep within me, that it feels vital and nourishing. I loved the poems in Khadijah Queen’s Anodyne (forthcoming Aug 18th) for their quiet insistence. I appreciated the varied structures that the poems came in and all the topics covered: family, work, Black expectation, age, love, etc. Poetry is the best kind of window and Queen’s collection shines as one. Plus, I knew it would be a good book when I saw it was framed by a Kendrick Lamar quote. Also, check out that gorgeous cover.
(I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
(I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
spacestationtrustfund's review against another edition
3.0
In the event of an apocalypse, be ready to die / But do also remember galleries.These were very good. Sometimes modern poetry feels very by-the-numbers, but it was so evident that Khadijah Queen had a hell of a good time experimenting with form and structure when writing these poems, and that contributed significantly to my enjoyment! It's remarkable how much reading poetry can help you in writing poetry. I maintain that the best way to learn how to be a better writer—of literally anything—is to study poetry.
g_treads's review against another edition
3.0
a lot of it sounds like a foreign language, the way words are just put out there, but there's an obvious sincerity and highlight in the way the writer speaks of her family, her son, brother, grandmother. flowers and bird imagery. easy to read in one sitting.