Well, I wanted to review a thriller, but I finished it today, and my hands said No, thank you, so I switched genres and will review a poetry collection, which is easier on my hands but harder on my mind. Some might think that since I write poetry, it would be easier to review it, right? Not really; in fact, it creates more pressure because I should know what I’m talking about; after all, I have published a poetry collection. Here’s a little secret: I passed my English language exam, but not my English literature exam.
The poetry collection is If I Had Wings: A journal of poetry by Jamey Amparo. I found it for free while I was browsing the poetry section. A note in the preface made me mad. The author said she was at a slam poetry event, and they disqualified her since her piece wasn’t the typical poem. I get that it was a different time, but I believe in the Freedom of Speech Act, and putting rules on art removes its freedom. The first poem is about the love of writing and how, without words, writers feel on a misguided route. It was a four-verse poem, but it hits the target dead center.
The first line I highlighted is this: “A scar would look like a birthmark, rare and beautiful.” It reminded me how it’s all in the point of view you are getting things from. Then I highlighted this: ‘I can feel your heartbeat but not your heart,’ which felt so real because, in my opinion, we mix desire with love even without wanting to. I also noticed that, in one of the poems, I forgot the title: Amparo used repetition to drive home how important the topic is to them. I rate this collection 3.75 out of 5.