What do you think?
Rate this book
Sharps
Emergencies, faith, truancy, and poverty intersect in this wry debut that volunteers a transfusion of the unpredictable for those who yearn to transition beyond a muralized Olive Garden world.
Stevie Howell's [Sharps] takes its cue from an Egyptian hieroglyph used interchangeably to represent "waters," the letter N, and all prepositions within a sentence. Similarly, [Sharps] alters its structure and functionality from page to page. The Queen launches an advertising campaign to procure our envy. The last unicorn crochets a sweater out of the sisal cords of the books. The falsity of Billy Joel's New York propaganda is grounds for libel. We discover the one thing you can do "With a sawed-off rifle, a low IQ, and curiosity/about human biology."
From certain angles, [Sharps] embraces the possibilities of poetry -- from others, it engages in a protracted street fight with language.
Stevie Howell's [Sharps] takes its cue from an Egyptian hieroglyph used interchangeably to represent "waters," the letter N, and all prepositions within a sentence. Similarly, [Sharps] alters its structure and functionality from page to page. The Queen launches an advertising campaign to procure our envy. The last unicorn crochets a sweater out of the sisal cords of the books. The falsity of Billy Joel's New York propaganda is grounds for libel. We discover the one thing you can do "With a sawed-off rifle, a low IQ, and curiosity/about human biology."
From certain angles, [Sharps] embraces the possibilities of poetry -- from others, it engages in a protracted street fight with language.
- GenresPoetry
88 pages, Paperback
First published October 7, 2014
29 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 18, 2017
What a diverse collection. No filler here - nothing but gems. I read it twice!
Read
October 23, 2014Hi, Everyone! Please check out my interview with poet Stevie Howell as we discuss her collection ^^^^^^ [Sharps] ( Goose Lane Editions, 2014). Read the interview and 3 poem excerpt on my TTQ Blog now. http://thetorontoquarterly.blogspot.c...
May 25, 2015
I recommended Stevie Howell's collection for Bookmark Bookstore's staff choice 2014 catalogue. Howell's début collection mediates on the bedlam of our urban environments - a wry and clever collection that has much to offer its readers.
December 23, 2014
I saw Stevie in Saint John this fall and enjoyed her presentation. Her book of poetry is indeed sharp to the senses and psyche.
October 13, 2023
I enjoyed it. There are some gems in here—incisive, and distinctly within the realm of human experience. Some decently visceral imagery, although was left wanting at some points.
Personal favorites were "fear is a world" and "Suddenly, the Moon is Full."
Personal favorites were "fear is a world" and "Suddenly, the Moon is Full."
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews