OCTOBERS: Poems

by Sahar Muradi

tk

Genres: Poetry

120 pages, Paperback

Published October 10, 2023

Reviews

[juch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ben talked about the dialectic between 1) abstraction/opacity that disrupts dominant colonial language etc is most politically interesting form of poetry and 2) telling ur story / speaking truth to power etc is the most politically interesting form of poetry. Now I understand what dialectic rly means

I liked the butterfly poem, it felt like it was kinda just about being on a flight haha. And the one w the fishmonger

[Burgi Zenhaeusern · Rating 5 out of 5]

In "a language entirely," a poem about her daughter, the poet begins:

She notices the shamal in the trees.
We call it 'dancing.'
I wonder if I could teach her language—
entirely in metaphor.
'This is a leaf yawning to the ground.
You have two starfish, right and left.
The clouds are playing piano again.'

And from there the poet leads us onto a wonderful exploration of a child's early use of language, her own delight with it: "To not correct. / To allow the pleasure of the construction [...] The same single syllable for multitudes [...] We must train our ears to her tongue's subtleties," to then end on "We listen with the hunger / of old eyes."

While the poem could be read as an Ars Poetica, "[w]e must train our ears to her tongue's subtleties" may very well be a call to the reader to listen closely to the speaker's voice throughout Octobers. She too is creating a language true to her, one from conflicting tongues. The poems are marvels to read and read again. They appeal to a reader's imagination and intuition for entry.

[Fred Daly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this and will teach it in my poetry class next year. The author is a friend of mine, but that's not why I liked it. I think all the time in terms of what i can teach, and these poems are just the right level of challenge for my students. The book will also encourage them to think about things that teenagers don't often think about but will soon enough, like parenthood and loss. And the section on the US invasion of Afghanistan will be an eye-opener for them. As always when reading a book by someone I know, I hoped hoped hoped it would be good, and it sure is.

[pedro · Rating 5 out of 5]

To come up between languages means more often than not, you’re bound to lean a certain way and choose one over the other. Muradi’s poetry jabs with intimacy and grace. Her book covers her life deeply and generously, revealing how ‘echoes are inevitable’ and how ‘something unfathomable / unfettered’ is always sought after because in the face of so much loss, there’s still hope.

[Michael Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

https://www.ronslate.com/on-octobers-...

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

"What courage it takes to admit one's size,
to polish the day over and over
grasping nothing."