Black Blossoms

by Rigoberto González

Black Blossoms offers a sustained exploration into the private lives of working class women of color and their difficult journeys. In surreal fairytales and magical biographies, Black Blossoms travels the U.S. and a daughter in Baja California tends to her sick father and watches for “the prince in his storybook tights”; “The Unsung Story of the Invisible Woman” in Phoenix, Arizona; the infamous New England spinster Lizzie Borden. A follow-up to Gonzalez’s Other Fugitives and Other Strangers (which recounted male lives), Black Blossoms interweaves sex, death and the tragedies of loving and losing.

Genres: Poetry

76 pages, Paperback

First published October 11, 2011

Reviews

[Jeannine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rigoberto's writing in "Black Blossoms" is both soaringly lyrical and punch-you-in-the-gut powerful. He puts postmodern twists on the oldest, darkest of Grimm's fairy stories (like "Girl with No Hands," one of my favorite - and creepiest - fairy tales.) I loved the focus on women's voices and women's stories - he's one of the few male writers who really nails authentic female voices. Highly recommend!

[Hafidha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vivid imagery, some powerful lines. Good read, but a slow read as by the middle it feels a bit heavy, like a little too much perfume. A little goes a long way! Individually, each poem is strong, try to read straight through and it's overwhelming.

[hh · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Kelsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got to attend a lecture in college where I was able to see Gonzalez read his poems, and discuss them. It was incredibly interesting, and his poems are so vivid and lively, but somehow, can also be dark and gritty. He's also able to write in women's voice and thoughts, and write them well. Definitely recommended to poetry lovers.

[Leonard · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nice collection of gritty descriptive poems that present beautiful and startling images, some which stick in the mind long after the poem is over.