sshabein's review
3.0
Bensel has a talent for creating very specific images that imply multiple meanings. It is easy to see the places in which these poems exist. There is also a definite connection to nature, with birds and water making frequent appearances, and the temperature is often chilly.
Not every poem was amazing for me, and a few like “Get Nailed” and “Instructions on How to Write a Screenplay” seemed out of place amidst the gritty diner-types and army vets “gettin’ raw.” It’s not that they are bad poems, of course, but they felt like inserted afterthoughts because they were available.
Still, Bensel has written a very promising chapbook that suggests great writing to come. I do hope we one day see a more expansive collection with her very capable command of theme.
(My full review appears at Word Riot.)
Not every poem was amazing for me, and a few like “Get Nailed” and “Instructions on How to Write a Screenplay” seemed out of place amidst the gritty diner-types and army vets “gettin’ raw.” It’s not that they are bad poems, of course, but they felt like inserted afterthoughts because they were available.
Still, Bensel has written a very promising chapbook that suggests great writing to come. I do hope we one day see a more expansive collection with her very capable command of theme.
(My full review appears at Word Riot.)
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