Reviews with content warning for Suicidal thoughts - Lord of the Butterflies

From small, intimate moments between lovers to overarching, political poems, this collection does an excellent job of encompassing the American queer experience. The pacing from work to work is lovely - a good mix of shorter/ longer poems and heavy/lighthearted topics.

My greatest mistake was reading “Orlando” in public. Of all the poems, this one most thoroughly sucker punched me in the gut. It is incredibly difficult to read, and perfectly portrays the terror inherent in the LGBTQ+ community after the Pulse Nightclub. There are no words to fully express how the author’s amazing writing explores and contextualizes that day. It’s a poem that never should have needed to be written, but because it was, I’m glad Gibson was its author.

Not all poems were as raw as that one, but all were equally as breathtakingly written.

Content Warnings

leilorenzo's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

5.0

In the end, this book defines itself as a 'book of protests, panic attacks, and pride parades. These poems riot against gun violence, homophobia, and white supremacy, while jubilating gender expansion, queer love, and the will to stay alive.'
I think that's better said than anything that I could have come up with, and while you read their words, I believe you'll feel the same way in each poem.
Very tender, raw and straight to the heart.

Content Warnings

More...