Survival Takes a Wild Imagination: Poems

by Fariha Róisín

In the powerful follow up to her critically acclaimed debut collection, poet and activist Fariha Róisín is writing, praying, clawing, and scratching her way out of the grips of generational trauma on the search for the freedom her mother never received and the kindness she couldn’t give.

This collection of poetry asks a kaleidoscope of Who is my family? My father? How do I love a mother no longer here? Can I see myself? What does it mean to be Bangladeshi? What is a border? Innately hopeful and resolutely strong, Fariha's voice turns to the optimism and beauty inherent in rebuilding the self, and in turn, the world that the self moves through. Ubiquitous to the human experience, Survival Takes a Wild Imagination is an illuminating breath of fresh air from a powerful poetic voice.

Genres: Poetry, Nonfiction, Memoir, Queer, LGBT, Research, Queer Lit

120 pages, Paperback

Published October 17, 2023

About the author

Fariha Róisín is a writer, culture worker, and educator.

Born in Ontario, Canada, they were raised in Sydney, Australia, and are based in Los Angeles, California. As a Muslim queer Bangladeshi, they are interested in the margins, liminality, otherness, and the mercurial nature of being. Their work has pioneered a refreshing and renewed conversation about wellness, contemporary Islam, degrowth and queer identities and has appeared in Al Jazeera, The Guardian, Vice, Village Voice, and others.

Róisín has published a book of poetry entitled How To Cure A Ghost (Abrams), a journal called Being In Your Body (Abrams), and a novel named Like A Bird (Unnamed Press) which was named one of the Best Books of 2020 by NPR, Globe and Mail, Harper’s Bazaar, a must-read by Buzzfeed News and received a starred review by the Library Journal.

Their first work of non-fiction Who Is Wellness For? An Examination of Wellness Culture and Who it Leaves Behind (HarperWave) was released in 2022, and their second book of poetry Survival Takes A Wild Imagination came out Fall of 2023.

They are a member of Writers Against The War on Gaza.

Reviews

[Sassy Sarah Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars

There were some really beautiful moments in this poetry collection. Fariha Róisín explores religion, love, loss, crime against women's bodies, and despair. There were some poems that really struck a cord within me and I am very happy that I gave this poetry collection a read. This is quite different from what Andrews McMeel publishes in the poetry realm, but I am incredibly impressed and hope they are pivoting more in this direction.

Thank you, Netgalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing, for providing me with a copy of this collection in exchange for an honest review.

[Cleo · Rating 5 out of 5]

As riveting and intimate as her first book of poetry, she never lets me down. Absolutely loved it - my favourite poems were "An Ode to Baby Fa,"" "Amar Sonar Bangla," and "For Every Girl Who Has Had Her Throat Slit Open." One of my favourite poetry collections for sure, cannot recommend her works enough.

[(straw)mary ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with a digital arc of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

This powerful collection of poems depicts a myriad of compelling themes such as generational trauma, religious beliefs, and growing to be comfortable in yourself. The poet was able to pour their emotional distresses and beliefs as they gradually come to terms with themselves, and this is apparent to the readers throughout every single page-turn. Identities are formed and emotions are expressed deeply within every single poem that was produced and published.

I personally really connected with the poet's journey and the messages that they were depicting. I believe this is really powerful and highlights the intricacies of the poet's literary ability, due to the fact that I have not experienced what they have gone through yet I completely consumed myself in their words, and felt the pain as i continued to read. The balance of femininity and the Islamic faith was exceptionally done and i could feel the raw genuine emotions behind the poet's words. I would have preferred if the poems flowed into each other more smoothly, I think that would have amplified the fact that there was an intention to express the generational cycle behind the poet, and the formatting of the poem could have expressed that perfectly if more focused upon.

Overall, I really enjoyed this poetry collection, I don't often connect this much with poets but I am really glad that I gave this collection a try. I look forward to reading more from this poet and I am grateful to Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me the opportunity to read this collection of poetry.

[Lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was completely mesmerized by Survival Takes a Wild Imagination from start to finish. Fariha Róisín really covers so much ground, and while I know some people prefer a more focused collection of poems, I don't mind a little expansiveness.

Some of Róisín's work also teetered on repetitive (to the point where it didn't always feel like a bunch of intentionally recurring motifs), but again, I'm personally not really bothered by that in poetry. Anyway, I'm off to read her other work!

[Carey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This poetry collection explores a wide range of themes, from abandonment and mental illness to intergenerational trauma, identity, history, love, healing, religion, climate change, family relationships, and colonization. It was interesting to see the poet explore so many different topics, but at times it felt like there was just too much packed in. Even though the collection was divided into sections, it didn’t really help organize the ideas, and the transitions between themes felt a bit scattered.

That said, some themes stood out more than others. I found the poems about healing and religion especially moving—particularly the way the poet talked about grieving as a journey toward inner peace rather than just "moving on." I also connected with the poems on identity, family, and climate change; these themes were often woven together in a way that created strong connections and added depth. Unfortunately, this wasn’t always the case; some of the other poems felt like they tackled too many topics at once, making them a little hard to follow.

As for the language, the prose is short, punchy, and intense, clearly meant to bring out big emotions. In some poems, this style really worked, but in others, it didn’t quite hit the mark. With so many subjects, it’s tough to keep up that kind of energy, and sometimes the tone felt a bit off, making a few poems feel stilted or the meaning became unclear.

Overall, there are definitely some poems here that shine, but the collection as a whole loses a bit of its impact by trying to cover so much. The style might not be for everyone—if you liked the author’s previous work, this is probably worth picking up, or if you’re into poetry that dives directly into the layers of the poet’s life and experiences, you might enjoy this one too.

[daria majlessi · Rating 5 out of 5]

“love is always a battle between the spirits, between the mind & jarring emotions, between the struggles of self & mania”

“who sees you when you come into yourself? when you stretch and make space for all the longing, for all the ugly? who protects you then?”

[Haley Fleming · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF really tried to like this, but it felt too milk and honey/2012 tumblr for me.

[Niki Rowland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ending this collection with two incantations, most notably the latter one to her mother, is such a powerful testament to how much Fariha Róisín has survived. There is freedom and power in her words despite the pain and grief that exists between it all.


- I can’t remember what you look like anymore. The memory of your face is too painful but each day has its own consolation.

Is it weird that, time after time, I’d choose this life again? This majestic clarity that heartbreak brings.

I love myself for committing to this healing, for embracing it, for allowing it to cleanse me. For not resisting anymore.

I’m here, both eyes open wide, seeing truth is naming it as well. I’m doing it for the both of us,

two peas in a pod, my karma is tied to yours, ma. Two sides of the same coin, lightness meets darkness, innocent by design.

I’ll love you forever, my first unattainable love, I’ll see you on the horizon of the new dawn. I’m praying to meet you there, when the sun falls sharp

on the axis of our hearts, aligning with the moon. With the fire vested in me, I’m arriving.

[Paola · Rating 3 out of 5]

This poetry collection explores themes from introspection to nature, wars and God. The language is striking and bold, oftentimes reflecting on motherhood and violence in the world. As bold as it is, it didn't heavily resonate with me. Even as I failed to connect to these words on a deeper level, I still highlighted multiple poems and would recommend this to those in need of biting language condensed in a nostalgic tone.

' Listen to me,
I want to be a person
who sings freedom & believes
it. '

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Andrews McMeel Publishing and the author for sending me an ARC of this book!

[TreeFlower · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was a quick read for me, and one I enjoyed. These poems cover a broad range of topics and some of them I found to be very personal. On the flip side there were some that I read that I had no understanding of their meaning but that was okay with me. I enjoyed the journey. 🙂

[Nique 💫 chroniqled ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

so, sooo good omg

[Shirin A.]

"To be human
is to be an unpeeled lychee,
fleshy, wet,
gelatinous, like an eyeball,
exposed."

[Ariana Cruwys · Rating 4 out of 5]

There were a couple of odd poems (in my opinion), but I enjoyed and even related to quite a bit of poems.

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was emotional and powerful and dark and triumphant all at the same time. It’s a lot to read, but easily my favorite poetry book I’ve ever read. Starting off 2024’s reading one poem a day on a very high note. I went with some friends to the author’s local reading. It was incredibly heavy in the best way. I’ve already bought copies of this book for friends. I knew I would love this book just from the title alone, but it definitely went above and beyond my expectations.

[Vanessa Tavira · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 ⭐

[Christina Valastro · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are some intense and vividly uncomfortable poems in this collection. A couple poems were absolutely amazing and I reread many times. Some of the poems missed the mark for me. Overall this is a solid and well thought out collection of poems 📚

[Deidrene · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is more of a rating of myself as a reader and my personal struggles with embracing diaspora-type poetry. I struggle a lot with poetry bc i struggle with self-compassion ngl but I vibe heavily with the respective poet and their ideas and calls to heal etc. Really beautiful stuff in here though

[sofia · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was not a hit for me :( There were a couple stanzas that stood out, some really clever word play and lyricism, but overall the collection felt a little disjointed and distant.

[Dawnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poetry in itself is hard to review but make it a nonfiction on top of that and it gets even harder.


personally for me this wasn’t my type of poetry - i enjoy the lyrical rhythmic poetry that has this natural flow throughout one poem from start to finish that gives the entire poem this ebb and flow that i enjoy and makes me enjoy poetry.

this collection does not have that kind of prose in its poems.
but it never promised to.

it is the kind of poetry where the is are said short and compacted into small sections and tell the reader/audience about something specific.

this collection has a lot of topics but the overarching theme is defiantly connection especially to god.

another thing i personally don’t love to read about but again didn’t know before hand nor do i fault it for mentioning god as often as it happens because it’s a nonfiction collection.

the author shared their story and what they feel important to talk about and mention.


it’s overall a good collection and a nicely done little book.

if you enjoyed the author before or enjoy this style of poetry i am sure you will love it!

[Misse Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great moments throughout!

Survival Takes A Wild Imagination is a very personal collection of poetry that peels back layers of inquiry that the author poses in her exploration to unlock some of her family history and free herself of its trauma. Thanks to NetGalley for the gifted copy!

In this follow-up to her debut, the author begins to build a framework around questions pertaining to family and identity. Who am I? Who is my father? My mother? What does it mean to be Bangladeshi? What is freedom?

I loved how the first portion of the collection was so incredibly strong and moving. In "On Dying," she writes about her relationship to her father. In "Memories Rewritten", she wonders why her relationship couldn't be softer, lighter...freer. "...Is it so wrong that I just wanted a sweet word from you." And, in "On Grief," were taking back into the year 2020 and covid. Each of the poem respectively touching and relatable. My favorite poems in the collection are "My Body is an Archive," "As Sticky As Marmalade," and the title poem, "Survival Takes A Wild Imagination.

While the beginning started off strong, the energy that soared throughout those poems was nearly lost by mid collection. There were great moments all throughout but it lost a little bit of luster with so many themes on display.

3.5/5 ⭐️'s

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

First of all, I just have to mention the book cover. It’s absolutely gorgeous and definitely played a part in me picking up this book and reading it.

Now, as it usually happens to me when it comes to essay and/or poem collections, I find myself loving ones and then completely missing the point or just not caring much for the other ones. And that was the case with 'Survival Takes a Wild Imagination'.
Especially at the beginning, the poems had me gripped, eating up all the imagery and being mesmerized by the words Fariha chose to use. But as the book progressed I snapped out of it multiple times, particularly because so many themes were addressed in the collection and I tend to enjoy a more curated anthology. That’s just a personal preference. It also got a little bit repetitive by the end of it, but I enjoyed it overall!

‘Human Life Is Turbulent’, ‘My Body Is an Archive’, and ‘Manoosh Ki Bolbe?’ are some of my favorite poems out of this collection.
Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[VishReadsItAll · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I genuinely appreciated certain poems within the collection, I must acknowledge that it posed a considerable challenge for me as a reader. Additionally, I found the work to be somewhat repetitive. One particular aspect that significantly affected my reading experience was the scattered nature of the concepts explored. On one page, the focus would be on hope, while on another, it would delve into themes of death, god, or other disparate subjects. The collection encompassed a wide range of topics, including mortality, suffering, the natural world, divinity, self-compassion, and hope, among others. However, their intermixing throughout the collection created a sense of disconnection and lack of cohesion. However, I acknowledge that these may be a matter of personal preference.

I extend my gratitude to NetGalley for providing me with an advance reading copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 2.5 stars out of 5.

[Maria Paschou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poet and activist Fariha Róisín does generational trauma in this powerful collection of poems. She is an NYC based, Australian-Canadian multi-disciplinary artist with an interest in her wellness, Muslim identity, race, self-care pop culture.

The collection is divided into three parts:

I. The beginning, the body, the wound
II. Liberation, pleasure, joy
III. Finding Earth, god

Parts I and III were fascinating; enquiring, revelatory, and deeply touching. The mesmerising narrative felt as reading an open letter addressed to certain members of the poets family. Part II was not as good; it felt as a forced provocation to the senses but it lacked the sincerity of the other two parts.

"What Is a Border?" is probably my favourite part of this radical collection of poems.

Huge thanks to NetGalley for a digital ARC.

[Meli · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Survival Takes a Wild Imagination, Róisín writes with a ferocity and courage that inspires me greatly. I was compelled by her exploration of trauma, forgiveness, and intergenerational healing, and felt a deep affinity for the way that she connects spirituality and ecology. As a matter of personal preference, I tend to be drawn to poetry that is a bit more lyrical and less on-the-nose than what I found in many of Róisín's pieces. Nevertheless, I am grateful to have picked up this little gem on a whim. Her words from "An Incantation" were a gorgeous way to end the collection and will linger with me for a while:

"I'll love you forever,
my first unattainable love,
I'll see you on the horizon

of the new dawn.
I'm praying to meet you there,
when the sun falls sharp

on the axis of our hearts, aligning
with the moon. With the fire vested
in me, I'm arriving."

[Manuela · Rating 5 out of 5]

But mostly, find celebration.
For every day that had tried to kill you… & failed.

I think I highlighted almost every page in this collection! It is so beautiful, powerful and touching. I recognized myself and my experience in a bunch of poems, the author so aptly describing my own thoughts and emotions.

It talks about breaking the cycle of generational trauma, about loving the very people that unintentionally passed those traumas to you, about being full of ambivalence and conflict and yet full of love and yearning. It talks about reclaiming yourself and your body after a lifetime feeling like you didn’t belong to yourself but to everyone (anyone!) else. It describes the feeling of embracing a new identity, of honoring your past, and of hoping for the future.

It’s stunning in its beauty and incisive in its meaning. Easily one of my favorites.

[Raphael Livrieu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Poetry books are their own little orbit, but I didn't really connect with Fariha's latest.

Poems is wide range of topics are grouped into chapters, but nothing feels coherent or more than intimate enough for others to enjoy. Healing from trauma and fight for personal freedom and awakening shine throughout, but suffer from repetitiveness. When lyrical phrases are replaced with prose, the meaning of it all loses its magnitude and leaves the feeling of the final product being unevenly crafted.

I think at this moment in her life, the author needed a little selfishness to blossom and I root for her, but there isn't much wild imagination here to sustain my interest. It's more like chakras repeated to the peace for it to come. I truly hope it did.

[Terra Oliveira · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Fariha Róisín’s newest poetry collection, Survival Takes A Wild Imagination (Andrews McMeel, October 2023), Róisín writes candidly about desire—revolutionary desire, sexual desire, the desire for familial affection—and the hunger for loving the body as a conduit of God and social change. Through Róisín’s unobstructed and somewhat mantra-like internal dialogue, her poems intimately return to the complex mother-daughter relationships that so often live in the contradictions of immigrant family life, and the necessity (and burden) of healing intergenerational trauma. Full of promises, there is an aliveness to these poems that is both jolting and like a balm, moving us towards an actualized, fulfilling love.

[Kelly ✰ · Rating 3 out of 5]

As I resonated with some poems more than others amongst the wide range of the collection, I admit that the experience of reading them as a reader was enjoyable overall, with a few misses. Moreover, I cannot completely relate to the subjects mentioned in this collection, as they were very abstract. The poems in this particular collection felt very light, with no real substance or heaviness I could feel or be really impacted with. However, the author does have a very lyrical and solid prose which made the reading experience more filling.

I give all my gratitude to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest and truthful review.

[K.C. Norton · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with any poetry collection, there were some poems that resonated more with me than others. Róisín's voice is clear and direct, with the sort of urgency I associate with slam poetry. A few of the pieces were lyrical, but most of them got right to the point without relying on metaphor or simile. Reading this was like having the poet sitting across the desk from me and talking about her feelings and experiences regarding topics such parental neglect, self-doubt, desire, and the relationship between colonization and climate change.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to access this collection as an ARC.

[Sara Virasami · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really in the mood for some poetry and I stumbled across this being available to read now on NetGalley. It seemed like something I'd normally be a fan of, but unfortunately it just mixed the mark.

This book of poems covers multiple themes from generational trauma to religion to self growth. Her words are filled with strength and its prose while decent, I just felt like some of it was overly lengthy - or maybe forced/repetitive trying to explain a feeling where it wasn't necessary too in such length. Also I think maybe how things had been grouped, in my opinion a bit all over the place played a factor in my inability to really connect as I normally would have.