The No You Never Listened To

Meggie Royer is back with another astounding collection of poetry. The No You Never Listened To was recently released through Words Dance Publishing, and it is her best work yet. Royer has a way of really twisting the reader’s emotions through her words. There is not a moment in this collection that does not get to you in some way.

The No You Never Listened To is a journey. It’s an essential journey; a journey of healing and understanding. It’s a collection I feel is one of the most important collections the literary world has to date. Royer’s intense style grabs us through the pages and educates us on the trauma of sexual assault and the culture of victim blaming. She does not hold back, as well she shouldn’t hold back. She is brutal. She is honest. Her words are a great comfort to many people out there.

This collection is really commendable, and I’m happy to have this on my bookshelf. You can find out more about this author at their blog Writings for Winter. The collection can be found on Amazon, as well as through the publisher, Words Dance Publishing. Meggie is definitely a hard working individual and her latest book is well worth the money.

Temporary Obscurity

So I received a copy of Temporary Obscurity by B. Diehl and Charles Joseph. It was fairly easy to order online, and only $5. Temporary Obscurity is a pretty short chapbook of poetry blending works from both authors. The table of contents should help the reader distinguish who wrote what poem. Honestly, I didn't even think of who wrote what when reading it. I noticed style changes and such, but it wasn't as important as the experience the combination was giving. The chapbook makes you lose yourself for a bit. You're thrown into their world, and it's not half bad.

I've never heard of Charles Joseph, though he is now a poet that I intend on following. B. Diehl I've only known through twitter and a few of his posts on facebook, though I'm not sure I've ever read anything of his. They're both stellar poets and the book really does speak for itself.

You're only with them for a short time, but fuck that's one awesome time. The title is like a warning sign in a way. You're not sure what you're getting yourself into. You're given a small, saddle-stitched booklet (which is a damn good print job, kudos to the printer) and forced to make the decision to a gamble. Enter the unknown and see what it does to you or play it safe and leave it on the coffee table for guests to see. You won't be disappointed if you enter though.

B. Diehl and Charles Joseph are promising poets. I'm interested in seeing what they have planned for the future, whether it's another collaboration or a seperate collections. Either way, the next project is something I'm sure we'll be thrilled to see. You can check them out at the information below. Buy a book too, it's only $5 and one hell of a read!

http://www.mynameisb.co

http://www.charlesjosephlit.com

From the Margins

From the Margins

So I’ve had the pleasure of receiving a review copy of From the Margins by Nathan Moore. Before I was approached, I really didn’t know who the poet was or who the publisher was. But that’s the great thing about indies, discovering the unknown, and this was well worth the find.

Poetry comes from all sides of the universe, whether it’s from a bar napkin, a receipt, or from our own personal diaries. It’s an art that just can’t be contained to one strict source. Poets are mad this way, constantly butchered by the muses to get out the new thoughts they’re tossing inside your skull. It’s simply beautiful. The author notes in the summary that he was “looking through some old notebooks from high school and college and I was shocked to see that on almost every page there were poems scribbled in the margins.” Essentially finding your art in the oddest place. Everyone’s art is somewhere, in this case it was literally the margins and junk mail. This book is a deep exploration of poetry from scrap and I have to say I really enjoyed it. It’s a large collection, just about 234 pages filled with vivid poems and raw ink drawings. You really get a feel of how exposed and open the author puts themselves as your move forward with the work.

I will say, if I had to sit down, one on one with the author, my biggest piece of advice would be to avoid clichés at all costs. Clichés, although can be important in some situations, really aren’t meant for poetry. It really detracts from the core of your work. It’s a bit too easy. As a poet you want your words to take knives and twist around inside your readers. Make it something that’s worth it, they’ll remember it by the end that’s for sure.

From the Margins was definitely an enjoyable read, and one that I would recommend to any lovers of poetry. Nathan opens himself up to a lot in this collection, using poetry from a pretty lengthy timespan. It’s a solid collection and one that will keep your attention. You can find out more information on this book through Pandamonk Publishing (Love that name, by the way). From the Margins is available through the publisher as well as through Amazon and Barnes N Noble. Enjoy poetry lovers!