A review by joshuamc
Snail Vixen and The Crystal Garden by Casey Renee Kiser

challenging dark emotional funny sad tense fast-paced

4.25

 

Casey Renee Kiser’s sardonic apercus are wonderfully delivered through varying and recognizable poetic rhythm and structure and packaged in plain language, each poem corporealizing an experience, which some I interpreted as overcoming trauma (OCEAN TABLE-TURNING, CRYSTAL GARDEN), being letdown and not having your needs met (SNAIL VIXEN, I SLIT MY WRISTS and HE SAID ‘YO’), examining the current human condition (SIGNAL, PAPER DOLL FACTORY), and an epiphanous elucidation about a Cheshire cat evacuating its bowels every time James Franco smiles (SERIOUSLY THOUGH). 

I genuinely appreciate the author for providing me with a digital copy of this chapbook, it is a perfect sample of that straightforward poetic expressiveness that lightly taps the xiphoid process and then leaves the fingertips lingering there for a moment… After each poem, I sat with the familiar, uncomfortable, and sometimes hopeful impressions that were evoked by so much of the imagery. I’m recommending to myself reading some more Casey Renee Kiser, asap.