Shady has a very particular tone that takes some adapting to, but after a few poems the collection becomes highly readable. It demands little time commitment from the reader, while still proving enigmatic and intriguing even after numerous reads. 'Note To Self:' was a particular favourite piece of mine; it demonstrates a delightful wit and manages to convey a truly authentic sense of character in a single line, attesting to Shady's mastery of language in its most refined, condensed form.
PATRON SAINT OF KEEPING HOUSE - I thought this poem, among so many other good poems, was going to be my favourite. But then…VISITING. You had me at “I saw my dead mother yesterday like she’d been driven through time. She was stopped in traffic, in the car ahead of me….”
this was a stunning collection of prose poems. as shady herself said it, this collection fell out of her and it has such a voice of both the pandemic, but also reflections on life and motherhood. more please!
As a long time student (and writer) of prose poetry, this had that little something extra for me that a lot of Australian attempts at the form lack (though not all). A dedicated fusion of the poetic and prosaic that I enjoyed from cover to cover.