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Cheap Yellow
"Shy’s poems are abruptly smart, a little violent, devious and ongoing, legendary, mythic, not prosey though a little like the voice of god if god decided to speak more collectively for a while. Shy’s poems to me are so so worth it. And they are crafty – also like god.'
—Eileen Myles, author of Afterglow
—Eileen Myles, author of Afterglow
- GenresPoetry
168 pages, Paperback
Published January 29, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 21, 2019
we have grown in the ways
that we were supposed to
this much is certain
but why is this the way
i walk
This is one of my favorite insights from Shy Watson. Shy has lived a lot in a short amount of time. The poems in this book deal with longing, curiosity, loneliness, rejection, resignation, hope, concrete descriptions of events, meditations on the absurdity/injustice of some of these events, meditations on the passing of time, detached observations of the lifelong process of perception/meaning/making sense of events. Usually I assume the folks around me at social events aren't thinking similar things as me, but after Shy's book, I was like "whoa cool, Shy and I think similar things." That's a pretty big gift to give a person like me.
There are also little moments like:
arm in arm
it isnt a problem
until you label it
...that make me laugh, because they're so familiar to me. It's fun to be alongside Shy in these moments.
I hate book reviews/summaries that say "stream of consciousness." But I love reading people's streams of consciousnesses. I also hate book reviews/summaries that say "the human condition." But I love reading things that deal with the experience of being human–that touch the general/universal through the particular. Shy is a master at the particular. These poems have few words on each line. Each word is necessary. The line breaks gave me a sense of the cadence/tone of Shy's inner monologue, which tends to charmingly dialogue with itself. There is a long prose poem/story about a relationship at the end, which was a satisfying bonus to read, like getting to view the deleted scenes of the other poems. I felt my mind moving both faster and more clearly once I finished Cheap Yellow. I felt young again, like I wanted to go out and live. I'm glad Shy is alive and writes poems.
that we were supposed to
this much is certain
but why is this the way
i walk
This is one of my favorite insights from Shy Watson. Shy has lived a lot in a short amount of time. The poems in this book deal with longing, curiosity, loneliness, rejection, resignation, hope, concrete descriptions of events, meditations on the absurdity/injustice of some of these events, meditations on the passing of time, detached observations of the lifelong process of perception/meaning/making sense of events. Usually I assume the folks around me at social events aren't thinking similar things as me, but after Shy's book, I was like "whoa cool, Shy and I think similar things." That's a pretty big gift to give a person like me.
There are also little moments like:
arm in arm
it isnt a problem
until you label it
...that make me laugh, because they're so familiar to me. It's fun to be alongside Shy in these moments.
I hate book reviews/summaries that say "stream of consciousness." But I love reading people's streams of consciousnesses. I also hate book reviews/summaries that say "the human condition." But I love reading things that deal with the experience of being human–that touch the general/universal through the particular. Shy is a master at the particular. These poems have few words on each line. Each word is necessary. The line breaks gave me a sense of the cadence/tone of Shy's inner monologue, which tends to charmingly dialogue with itself. There is a long prose poem/story about a relationship at the end, which was a satisfying bonus to read, like getting to view the deleted scenes of the other poems. I felt my mind moving both faster and more clearly once I finished Cheap Yellow. I felt young again, like I wanted to go out and live. I'm glad Shy is alive and writes poems.
April 23, 2018
One of my favorite contemporary poets. Such clean open lines. Such room to sprawl out poem per poem. Shy Watson is an artist with a capital A. Dig the mood and the 'whatever the fuck' trashed on top of the building, plates of fish, sex and cum and ex-boyfriends becoming sailboats, but sweet and tender too, 'a clickbait buzzfeed quiz said New York is where i should move'. These are poems of places and misadventures and friends and adventures as a buzzing ticker tape from the self proclaimed ultimate party girl. Big recommend.
July 6, 2023
Totally biased review because I was her teacher & made the acknowledgements page, but I adore Shy and her gritty, brutally honest, genuine poetry. It's certainly not appropriate for all & would absolutely be banned from a school library shelf. That's why I love it. You're still a good writer, btw. 💜
May 17, 2018
These poems have such a presence on the page, harsh yet calm and finely constructed, though no harsher than being alive. They resonate right off the bat and keep going. I could keep reading and rereading.
January 28, 2021
Was lucky enough to receive a signed copy from Shy herself and couldn’t be more thankful. These poems were such a trip to get through. “I Will Eat You Like An Entire Summer” has been a favorite poem of mine since I first read it a couple years ago, but seeing it in the context of a greater narrative was incredibly satisfying. The prose piece at the end of the book was incredibly beautiful and tender and made me love life a little bit more.
February 9, 2018
Amazing. I'm going to read it again right now.
July 15, 2018
my fav poet!
August 2, 2020
Best poetry book I've read that wasn't by Richard Brautigan.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews