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Skin Memory
2020 Next Generation Indie Book Award Finalist in Poetry
Finalist in Poetry for the National Indie Excellence Awards
A stark, visceral collection of free verse and prose poetry, Skin Memory scours a wild landscape haunted by personal tragedy and the cruel consequences of human acts in search of tenderness and regeneration. In this book of daring and introspection, John Sibley Williams considers the capriciousness of youth, the terrifying loss of cultural identity and self-identity, and what it means to live in an imperfect world. He reveals each body as made up of all bodies, histories, and shared dreams of the future.
In these poems absence can be held, the body’s dust is just dust, and though childhood is but a poorly edited memory and even our well-intentioned gestures tend toward ruin, Williams nonetheless says, “I’m pretty sure, everything within us says something beautiful.”
Finalist in Poetry for the National Indie Excellence Awards
A stark, visceral collection of free verse and prose poetry, Skin Memory scours a wild landscape haunted by personal tragedy and the cruel consequences of human acts in search of tenderness and regeneration. In this book of daring and introspection, John Sibley Williams considers the capriciousness of youth, the terrifying loss of cultural identity and self-identity, and what it means to live in an imperfect world. He reveals each body as made up of all bodies, histories, and shared dreams of the future.
In these poems absence can be held, the body’s dust is just dust, and though childhood is but a poorly edited memory and even our well-intentioned gestures tend toward ruin, Williams nonetheless says, “I’m pretty sure, everything within us says something beautiful.”
- GenresPoetry
96 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2019
1 person is currently reading
51 people want to read
About the author
John Sibley Williams
30 books117 followersJohn Sibley Williams is the author of As One Fire Consumes Another (Orison Poetry Prize, 2019), Skin Memory (Backwaters Prize, 2019), Disinheritance, and Controlled Hallucinations. A nineteen-time Pushcart nominee, John is the winner of numerous awards, including the Philip Booth Award, American Literary Review Poetry Contest, Phyllis Smart-Young Prize, The 46er Prize, Nancy D. Hargrove Editors' Prize, Confrontation Poetry Prize, and Laux/Millar Prize. He serves as editor of The Inflectionist Review and works as a literary agent. Previous publishing credits include: The Yale Review, Midwest Quarterly, Sycamore Review, Prairie Schooner, The Massachusetts Review, Poet Lore, Saranac Review, Atlanta Review, TriQuarterly, Columbia Poetry Review, Mid-American Review, Poetry Northwest, Third Coast, and various anthologies. He lives in Portland, Oregon.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
September 12, 2019
Skin Memory | John Sibley Williams | 96 p| Thanks to @netgalley and the publisher for this copy.
.
🇬🇧 🇺🇸 Skin Memory is a collection of free verse and prose poetry written by John Sibley Williams.
As the name suggests this book is a beautifully written collection of memories. The poet present images of nature, family members, situations and processes of self discovery.
I read some of these poems more than once, and that’s the magic about reading it, this collection took me to different places and made me feel different things.
I really enjoyed reading Skin Memory. It’s wonderful to be immersed in someone’s memories like this.
.
🇵🇹 🇧🇷
Skin Memory | John Sibley Williams | 96 p| Obrigada @netgalley por essa cópia.
.
Skin Memory é uma coleção de poesias em verso livre e prosa poética, escritas com maestria por John Sibley Williams.
Como o nome já sugere esta é uma coletânea de memórias. O poeta apresenta imagens de natureza, família, acontecimentos e momentos e descoberta pessoal.
Eu li alguns dos poemas mais de uma vez e essa foi a mágica, essa coleção me mostrou lugares e me despertou sentimentos.
Eu amei ler esse livro. É maravilhoso estar imersa na memória de outra pessoa desta maneira.
.
🇬🇧 🇺🇸 Skin Memory is a collection of free verse and prose poetry written by John Sibley Williams.
As the name suggests this book is a beautifully written collection of memories. The poet present images of nature, family members, situations and processes of self discovery.
I read some of these poems more than once, and that’s the magic about reading it, this collection took me to different places and made me feel different things.
I really enjoyed reading Skin Memory. It’s wonderful to be immersed in someone’s memories like this.
.
🇵🇹 🇧🇷
Skin Memory | John Sibley Williams | 96 p| Obrigada @netgalley por essa cópia.
.
Skin Memory é uma coleção de poesias em verso livre e prosa poética, escritas com maestria por John Sibley Williams.
Como o nome já sugere esta é uma coletânea de memórias. O poeta apresenta imagens de natureza, família, acontecimentos e momentos e descoberta pessoal.
Eu li alguns dos poemas mais de uma vez e essa foi a mágica, essa coleção me mostrou lugares e me despertou sentimentos.
Eu amei ler esse livro. É maravilhoso estar imersa na memória de outra pessoa desta maneira.
December 26, 2019
3.5 stars.
RTC
RTC
November 17, 2019
Skin Memory is a deep, dense and oftentimes dark body of poetry. The poems examine everything from childhood through adulthood. Skin Memory metaphorically examines love, identity, culture and loss. A very engaging body of work. Williams' use of language declares him as a master of the art. I loved the imagery and sophisticated use of phrase, whether it was free form or prose. I highly recommend Skin Memory to anyone who enjoys language, enjoys poetry or is compelled to be someone who does. This is not a body of work to read in one sitting. This is a book to be savored, to roll around in your mouth before swallowing.
I received an advanced reader's copy from the publisher and netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
I received an advanced reader's copy from the publisher and netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
October 15, 2019
This poetry collection was very compelling to read. The author's writing of landscapes as metaphors for feelings of love, loss and grief really stuck with me. There were poems that resonated in a way that not many poems do, though others felt a little too metaphorical for my taste. Still, I couldn't help but devour this book, trying to connect the dots between nature and the author's story, and even comparing it to my own. I was very significant to read about the author's religion and culture within his poetry.
All in all a beautiful, and at times, sad poetry collection.
All in all a beautiful, and at times, sad poetry collection.
October 26, 2019
Such beautiful poetry, quite dark at times, but always moving. The use of language, style, it’s just mesmerising at points, it just flows so well and I would reread some just because I loved how they flowed and made me feel. Beautiful
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
September 12, 2019
"Skin Memory" By John Sibley Williams
I enjoyed reading these collection of poetry that is described as the "impressions and imprints that we leave on this world physically and psychologically".
I read the collection a few times, first for just understanding the overall feel of the collection and then I slowly read and reread again to immerse myself in the vivid imagery I slowly transported myself in. The overall feeling I gathered is of pain and suffering while getting through it all through strength and resilience. I felt that just like our skin, the largest organ of our body, it protects our body from elements, harm, injury, and envelops us. Just like our skin - we react to feeling and emotions; sweating, warmth when upset, cool when nervous, or the goosebumps when scared. Love this from the opening, "because skin has a memory all its own and because memory is a language that's survived its skin. For now I just walk the waist-high replanted pines of unassimilation, carrying my words like anchors through an open field of oars".
The beauty of this collection are the representation of the vivid images of nature - it feels tangible and ever present; clouds, grass, trees, fireflies, stars and the sea. There is definitely a sense of open expanse almost in search for something as the author takes us to different locations, feelings and identities. Thoroughly enjoyed the powerful and tangible writing very much, that resonated with me. I will be reading this over and over as every time I read this, I peel a little bit more of its complex layers. Thank you!
"Skin Memory" is the winner of the Blackwaters Prize in Poetry, judged by Kwame Dawes of Nebraska Press
Thank you NetGally and Blackwaters Press for the ARC ebook copy.
I enjoyed reading these collection of poetry that is described as the "impressions and imprints that we leave on this world physically and psychologically".
I read the collection a few times, first for just understanding the overall feel of the collection and then I slowly read and reread again to immerse myself in the vivid imagery I slowly transported myself in. The overall feeling I gathered is of pain and suffering while getting through it all through strength and resilience. I felt that just like our skin, the largest organ of our body, it protects our body from elements, harm, injury, and envelops us. Just like our skin - we react to feeling and emotions; sweating, warmth when upset, cool when nervous, or the goosebumps when scared. Love this from the opening, "because skin has a memory all its own and because memory is a language that's survived its skin. For now I just walk the waist-high replanted pines of unassimilation, carrying my words like anchors through an open field of oars".
The beauty of this collection are the representation of the vivid images of nature - it feels tangible and ever present; clouds, grass, trees, fireflies, stars and the sea. There is definitely a sense of open expanse almost in search for something as the author takes us to different locations, feelings and identities. Thoroughly enjoyed the powerful and tangible writing very much, that resonated with me. I will be reading this over and over as every time I read this, I peel a little bit more of its complex layers. Thank you!
"Skin Memory" is the winner of the Blackwaters Prize in Poetry, judged by Kwame Dawes of Nebraska Press
Thank you NetGally and Blackwaters Press for the ARC ebook copy.
August 13, 2019
I liked this collection. Stories of love, loss, abuse, and growing up were told in bits in pieces of each poem. At some points, I found myself questioning the cohesiveness of the poems. I think the ordering could’ve flowed better. But, maybe disorder is what the author was after. There were also poems about cities or time in cities that didn’t really fit. The metaphors were powerful and I’m sure you could get something new each time reading this. A few lines I read again and again to really reflect and let it sink in. The imagery of the landscape was also beautifully weaved throughout as a character in its own right.
Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the ARC.
Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the ARC.
October 9, 2019
A dense collection of poetry that explores familial relationships, and our history, our doubts, our future in our proscribed roles. Williams used a casual vocabulary with distinct imagery resulting in layers upon layers of meaning. This book is a must for any poetry lover!
August 25, 2025
There’s a structure to the present. Or there’s a significance felt in the present moment that can feel like poetry, and for John Sibley Williams’s book, feeling poetry implies there is a poetic structure readied for a poem. Assembled as a series of images. Or designed as an iterative gesture towards closure, but it’s not entirely closure. A poem that feels like that Reginald Shepherd anthology of Lyric Postmodernisms: An Anthology of Contemporary Innovative Poetries. Showcasing a lyric mode native to the 2000s that understands ending a poem can be an affective device, so the poem feels the sensation of “ending” without really intending to actually end, because everything has not yet been said that could be said.
I always feel it’s a real feat when a 2020’s book of poems is written in that 2000s lyric mode, and its concerns feel fresh and immediate. Which is what I read in John Sibley Williams’s Skin Memory. It’s concerned with darkness, coupled with the perspective clouded by how familiar the poet is with this darkness. And he has some sense of why his life is subject to all this darkness, but he’s going to delay access to what’s at the center of his personal darkness. All of this undoubtedly feels driven by consequence. Like if you’re reading the book from beginning to end, and you ask the poems in the first two-thirds of the book, “Is this what you mean?” The poems will simply be there on the page. Asking that the tone of your voice not hook up into the question mark. “These poems are dampened.” They’ll say. It’s a complex gesture that draws the book’s tension taut. Because, on on one hand, I feel compelled to ask the book other questions, like “Is this history?” or I hear the poet asking himself, “Is this my inheritance?” There’s an active consideration of why anyone would default to a consistently darkened view of the world. In the poem, “One Horse Town,” Sibley Williams describes trees that sound like fire, but they’re just ash now. For me, that’s the method of many of this book’s poems. It’s like they’re stepping through ash, knowing it was flames that produced this ash. Towards the final third of the book, there’s a lot attributed to the poet’s mother dying. I’m not entirely sure, though, that I would assign the book’s gravity to that single event.
I’m particularly interested in the poems that think through “inheritance,” because I hear Sibley Williams thinking through the heavy complications surrounding privilege when framed by a white man. In fact, what I appreciate most is how he seems to address issues I hear when I read Jesse Nathan’s Eggtooth. Both poets articulate the ongoing injustice implicit to American colonialism, where white people have pretended to dominion over “the land.” And the situation is further complicated when you grow up feeling you belong to the land, and civic structures are telling you the land is “yours.” But then reading history reveals the injustice that has long existed implicitly to that “yours.” I think Nathan’s approach to this dilemma is a bit too direct, or the directness is missing nuance. I would say Sibley Williams approach is more vague, more shadowy lyric. Which works for this book.
This “shadowy lyric” mode is similar to the poets explicitly influencing this book (via individual poems’ dedications). I would personally relate Sibley Williams most closely with Mark Strand, for Strand’s style that weaves diction and pacing into a darkened understanding of the present moment. I would say Strand takes the Deep Image impulse in a more surreal direction. But both Sibley Williams and Strand share a similar tone. Mixed, then, with the rhetorical fluency of Carl Phillips.
I always feel it’s a real feat when a 2020’s book of poems is written in that 2000s lyric mode, and its concerns feel fresh and immediate. Which is what I read in John Sibley Williams’s Skin Memory. It’s concerned with darkness, coupled with the perspective clouded by how familiar the poet is with this darkness. And he has some sense of why his life is subject to all this darkness, but he’s going to delay access to what’s at the center of his personal darkness. All of this undoubtedly feels driven by consequence. Like if you’re reading the book from beginning to end, and you ask the poems in the first two-thirds of the book, “Is this what you mean?” The poems will simply be there on the page. Asking that the tone of your voice not hook up into the question mark. “These poems are dampened.” They’ll say. It’s a complex gesture that draws the book’s tension taut. Because, on on one hand, I feel compelled to ask the book other questions, like “Is this history?” or I hear the poet asking himself, “Is this my inheritance?” There’s an active consideration of why anyone would default to a consistently darkened view of the world. In the poem, “One Horse Town,” Sibley Williams describes trees that sound like fire, but they’re just ash now. For me, that’s the method of many of this book’s poems. It’s like they’re stepping through ash, knowing it was flames that produced this ash. Towards the final third of the book, there’s a lot attributed to the poet’s mother dying. I’m not entirely sure, though, that I would assign the book’s gravity to that single event.
I’m particularly interested in the poems that think through “inheritance,” because I hear Sibley Williams thinking through the heavy complications surrounding privilege when framed by a white man. In fact, what I appreciate most is how he seems to address issues I hear when I read Jesse Nathan’s Eggtooth. Both poets articulate the ongoing injustice implicit to American colonialism, where white people have pretended to dominion over “the land.” And the situation is further complicated when you grow up feeling you belong to the land, and civic structures are telling you the land is “yours.” But then reading history reveals the injustice that has long existed implicitly to that “yours.” I think Nathan’s approach to this dilemma is a bit too direct, or the directness is missing nuance. I would say Sibley Williams approach is more vague, more shadowy lyric. Which works for this book.
This “shadowy lyric” mode is similar to the poets explicitly influencing this book (via individual poems’ dedications). I would personally relate Sibley Williams most closely with Mark Strand, for Strand’s style that weaves diction and pacing into a darkened understanding of the present moment. I would say Strand takes the Deep Image impulse in a more surreal direction. But both Sibley Williams and Strand share a similar tone. Mixed, then, with the rhetorical fluency of Carl Phillips.
October 12, 2019
The only time I have read poems was in my high school literature class. Outside of the classroom and for my leisure reading, I was never motivated to pick up a book of poems. As a poet, I have never been inspired by other poets and I have no favorite poets. However, when I started using Netgalley next month, I decided to request poetry books. My request was approved for Skin Memory by John Sibley Williams. Now that I have finished the book, I do not regret requesting it. I particularly liked Skin Memory in regards to its imagery, themes and unique poetical conventions.
When it comes to the imagery in Skin Memory, I liked how the images jarred against each other, reflecting a deep inner turmoil. A poem might have soothing imagery throughout, but as you continue reading it, there are images that jar against the calm atmosphere. This clash of images beautifully conveys the turmoil that William writes of. There is a lot of juxtaposition of images in William's poem "Dewpoint" which gives the impression of someone dying. These juxtapositions represent hopelessness overcoming hopefulness. In his other poems, there is a similar clash of imagery and it continues to reflect the poet's emotional turmoil.
The themes that I came across in William's poetry were family, maturation and individuality. In his poems, Williams expresses many emotions in regards to a family such as the feeling of loss but contentment as well. On the other hand, for his theme of maturation, he expresses a wide range of emotions and opinions that reflect his appreciation as well as criticism for the social norms that individuals grow with. His images in regards to these themes carry connotations of sadness and realism. Williams' poems also reflect how he wants to freely express his individuality in regards to what he thinks and feels about the world. These themes made me realise that William's poems are an expression of what the poet is as a person. With this book, Williams has constructed a beautiful form of self-expression.
I loved Williams' unique poetical convention because they gave a beautiful flow to his poetry. Even in free verse, he does not stick to one form of writing a poem, there are many forms. Sometimes it is in prose and sometimes in stanzas of two lines. These forms give a beautiful flow to all his poems. They reflect the rising tension in the poem or the calm and reflective atmosphere that Williams creates. These poetical conventions add more beauty to the meaning of the poet's words.
Skin Memory is a wonderful collection of poems. It made me reflect on various aspects of life and my perspective. The images, the themes and the unique writing conventions did arouse many feelings ranging from utter confusion to being calmly reflective. Nonetheless, it also gave me an insight into a different social and individualistic perspective. Williams' book is an amazing collection of poetry that is a beautfiul form of self-expression.
When it comes to the imagery in Skin Memory, I liked how the images jarred against each other, reflecting a deep inner turmoil. A poem might have soothing imagery throughout, but as you continue reading it, there are images that jar against the calm atmosphere. This clash of images beautifully conveys the turmoil that William writes of. There is a lot of juxtaposition of images in William's poem "Dewpoint" which gives the impression of someone dying. These juxtapositions represent hopelessness overcoming hopefulness. In his other poems, there is a similar clash of imagery and it continues to reflect the poet's emotional turmoil.
The themes that I came across in William's poetry were family, maturation and individuality. In his poems, Williams expresses many emotions in regards to a family such as the feeling of loss but contentment as well. On the other hand, for his theme of maturation, he expresses a wide range of emotions and opinions that reflect his appreciation as well as criticism for the social norms that individuals grow with. His images in regards to these themes carry connotations of sadness and realism. Williams' poems also reflect how he wants to freely express his individuality in regards to what he thinks and feels about the world. These themes made me realise that William's poems are an expression of what the poet is as a person. With this book, Williams has constructed a beautiful form of self-expression.
I loved Williams' unique poetical convention because they gave a beautiful flow to his poetry. Even in free verse, he does not stick to one form of writing a poem, there are many forms. Sometimes it is in prose and sometimes in stanzas of two lines. These forms give a beautiful flow to all his poems. They reflect the rising tension in the poem or the calm and reflective atmosphere that Williams creates. These poetical conventions add more beauty to the meaning of the poet's words.
Skin Memory is a wonderful collection of poems. It made me reflect on various aspects of life and my perspective. The images, the themes and the unique writing conventions did arouse many feelings ranging from utter confusion to being calmly reflective. Nonetheless, it also gave me an insight into a different social and individualistic perspective. Williams' book is an amazing collection of poetry that is a beautfiul form of self-expression.
November 1, 2019
‘Skin has a memory all its own and because memory is a language that’s survived its skin’
Oregon poet John Sibley Williams is becoming one of America’s leading poetic voices. He holds a BA in English (with a minor in Philosophy from State University of New York Albany, an MFA in Creative Writing from Rivier College and an MA in Book Publishing from Portland State University, where he served as Acquisitions Manager of Ooligan Press and Marketing Manager of Three Muses Press. He co-founded the Inflectionist poetry movement, edits its journal, The Inflectionist Review, and serves as Board Member of the Friends of William Stafford and Co-Director of the Walt Whitman 150 organization. He also co-founded the Moonlit Poetry Caravan, a Portland-based critique group. He is also a writer and a literary agent. The handsome young poet is the author of nine poetry collections for which he has been frequently honored and awarded prizes – SKIN MEMORY is his most recent anthology, winning the Backwaters Prize in Poetry.
Throughout the pages of this mesmerizing book John allows us time to ponder about the concepts he places into poems – grief, loss, death and dying, identity, tragedy, awakening to some greater aura of being. The poems are grounded in reality, all the more available to enter our philosophy into the stages John creates. And hope is there – at times vague and in shadows but there nonetheless. But as with all fine poetry, the works speak louder that praise for them.
Symptoms of Shelter
If I could reconcile the fullness
of the moon, of the black oak
tonight’s moon illuminates,
with the bodies I’ve seen
in photographs hanging from
an oak at night in just this light.
There are only so many perfect
moments allowed us; why
must they all end with the sky
constricting, bleeding , the trees
emptying of birds. Buckshot
in the distance. Dog bark and
goodnight. Everywhere
the dead and nothing
to be done. This familiar field
now going strange
How lucky I have been
To love, and love blindly.
Poems such as this one fill the pages of this richly evocative collection of thoughts made accessible to each of us. There is no doubt that John Sibley Williams is a major voice in poetry today.
Oregon poet John Sibley Williams is becoming one of America’s leading poetic voices. He holds a BA in English (with a minor in Philosophy from State University of New York Albany, an MFA in Creative Writing from Rivier College and an MA in Book Publishing from Portland State University, where he served as Acquisitions Manager of Ooligan Press and Marketing Manager of Three Muses Press. He co-founded the Inflectionist poetry movement, edits its journal, The Inflectionist Review, and serves as Board Member of the Friends of William Stafford and Co-Director of the Walt Whitman 150 organization. He also co-founded the Moonlit Poetry Caravan, a Portland-based critique group. He is also a writer and a literary agent. The handsome young poet is the author of nine poetry collections for which he has been frequently honored and awarded prizes – SKIN MEMORY is his most recent anthology, winning the Backwaters Prize in Poetry.
Throughout the pages of this mesmerizing book John allows us time to ponder about the concepts he places into poems – grief, loss, death and dying, identity, tragedy, awakening to some greater aura of being. The poems are grounded in reality, all the more available to enter our philosophy into the stages John creates. And hope is there – at times vague and in shadows but there nonetheless. But as with all fine poetry, the works speak louder that praise for them.
Symptoms of Shelter
If I could reconcile the fullness
of the moon, of the black oak
tonight’s moon illuminates,
with the bodies I’ve seen
in photographs hanging from
an oak at night in just this light.
There are only so many perfect
moments allowed us; why
must they all end with the sky
constricting, bleeding , the trees
emptying of birds. Buckshot
in the distance. Dog bark and
goodnight. Everywhere
the dead and nothing
to be done. This familiar field
now going strange
How lucky I have been
To love, and love blindly.
Poems such as this one fill the pages of this richly evocative collection of thoughts made accessible to each of us. There is no doubt that John Sibley Williams is a major voice in poetry today.
December 1, 2019
This stunning book took me so much longer than normal to read because every single poem absolutely rocked me. I couldn't read more than a couple at a time because they each gave me so much to think about, so much to learn, so much stark beauty to just sit back and go, "Whoa."
The first poem, bearing the same name as the book, sets up the thesis: "Because skin has a memory all its own and because memory is a language that's survived its skin." The second poem, "Snake. Tree. Rope. Wall." teaches the reader how to read that memory, creating the language together with the reader:
"Let's agree to call what we're touching his hand.
Let's say it's warm.
Let's agree our hands are enough to judge. Let's say the hollows in his skull are eyes and that all eyes can shine if you sweep the flies from them.
Let's say we are certain of this one thing
then let's never touch it again."
I could go on and on about every single poem. I'm kind of overwhelmed by even trying to review this book because it is so familiar in terms of theme and landscape, and it flays while it heals. So much of this book is underlined now; there were several poems where I ended up underlining the entire thing. Each line, each word is that important, that beautiful. I'll be reading this one over and over again.
The first poem, bearing the same name as the book, sets up the thesis: "Because skin has a memory all its own and because memory is a language that's survived its skin." The second poem, "Snake. Tree. Rope. Wall." teaches the reader how to read that memory, creating the language together with the reader:
"Let's agree to call what we're touching his hand.
Let's say it's warm.
Let's agree our hands are enough to judge. Let's say the hollows in his skull are eyes and that all eyes can shine if you sweep the flies from them.
Let's say we are certain of this one thing
then let's never touch it again."
I could go on and on about every single poem. I'm kind of overwhelmed by even trying to review this book because it is so familiar in terms of theme and landscape, and it flays while it heals. So much of this book is underlined now; there were several poems where I ended up underlining the entire thing. Each line, each word is that important, that beautiful. I'll be reading this one over and over again.
November 21, 2019
3.5 / 4 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.
'How does the pain we protect differ from the break we must heal?'
This is a beautiful poetry collection about love, memories and family using the imagery of nature to represent life. The vocabulary of John was amazing and really created the emotion. You could really see the deeper meanings behind the words.
In my opinion this collection is for those who are an 'advanced poetry reader'. I myself have not read that many poetry collections so some of the quotes were hard for me to visualise and went straight over my head. I believe that sharing the experience of the writer creates a stronger bond and provokes more feelings.
'Someday you'll also learn to be satisfied without being full'
This is definitely going to be a reread further down the line with more poetry under my belt.
Would highly recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.
'How does the pain we protect differ from the break we must heal?'
This is a beautiful poetry collection about love, memories and family using the imagery of nature to represent life. The vocabulary of John was amazing and really created the emotion. You could really see the deeper meanings behind the words.
In my opinion this collection is for those who are an 'advanced poetry reader'. I myself have not read that many poetry collections so some of the quotes were hard for me to visualise and went straight over my head. I believe that sharing the experience of the writer creates a stronger bond and provokes more feelings.
'Someday you'll also learn to be satisfied without being full'
This is definitely going to be a reread further down the line with more poetry under my belt.
Would highly recommend.
December 4, 2019
How does one mark a made thing knowing that creation is not, after all, so novel? With what does silence decorate? Are we consumed by our learning to swallow? Does no being in heaven have a perfect memory?
Skin Memory, by John Sibley Williams, is a made thing that quotes, not its maker, but its maker’s eulogist. As a reader, I felt returned to a place once cleared for my pathless image. With remnant verse and far music, Williams stages yesterday as a horse teaching a bird about revision and today as a different horse singing in that same bird above a water that has nightly prayed to tomorrow asking that the name of its redacted body be voiced. Absent all victors, Williams is a shaper of gestural remains and this is a leaving work that does not abandon but instead occupies enough clock for time to question the faith it’s put in stories told by jet-lagged prophets. To the details go the context.
Skin Memory, by John Sibley Williams, is a made thing that quotes, not its maker, but its maker’s eulogist. As a reader, I felt returned to a place once cleared for my pathless image. With remnant verse and far music, Williams stages yesterday as a horse teaching a bird about revision and today as a different horse singing in that same bird above a water that has nightly prayed to tomorrow asking that the name of its redacted body be voiced. Absent all victors, Williams is a shaper of gestural remains and this is a leaving work that does not abandon but instead occupies enough clock for time to question the faith it’s put in stories told by jet-lagged prophets. To the details go the context.
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August 17, 2019« After enough pilgrims have kissed its feet, any statue can be holy. »
This collection by John Williams tackles themes of love, loss and growing up in a visceral way. The overall result is really quite enjoyable and thoughtprovoking.
However, I wasn’t as charmed by some things that were included. The hunting references, for instant, just didn’t click with me. It is certainly a matter of culture. Maybe if i were American, these poems, their pictured landscapes and atmospheres would have been more relatable to me and made for a better reading experience.
I also think that the book could have been structured a little better.
All in all, I want to thank Netgalley for allowing me to discover this author and his work.
This collection by John Williams tackles themes of love, loss and growing up in a visceral way. The overall result is really quite enjoyable and thoughtprovoking.
However, I wasn’t as charmed by some things that were included. The hunting references, for instant, just didn’t click with me. It is certainly a matter of culture. Maybe if i were American, these poems, their pictured landscapes and atmospheres would have been more relatable to me and made for a better reading experience.
I also think that the book could have been structured a little better.
All in all, I want to thank Netgalley for allowing me to discover this author and his work.
November 5, 2019
Williams' prose and verses show his familiarity and schooling in poetry, but that doesn't always translate into writing that remains memorable after its read. The best of the bunch are Sons of No One, which opens with a striking first line about the suicides in his family and Dear Nowhere, relating with melancholy some experiences broken up by headings of rural U.S. towns. Fog and Death Is a Work in Progress both resonate with me, too, keeping with the melancholic tone of the collection.
June 18, 2022
John Sibley Williams writes poems with earnestness. This said, each poem reads as if it were written through a lens of guilt and apology - neither of these being effective or intentional.
"Skin Memory" presents a protagonist who seems to ruminate and think long in these deep recesses of personal and shared history, but it all seems superficial and expected. I was left wanting to be surprised by a revelation that went beyond the self. A bit solipsistic.
"Skin Memory" presents a protagonist who seems to ruminate and think long in these deep recesses of personal and shared history, but it all seems superficial and expected. I was left wanting to be surprised by a revelation that went beyond the self. A bit solipsistic.
September 10, 2019
John Sibley Williams shows a wide range of talent for inventive juxtaposition and surprising images from the very first entry in Skin Memory. Whether written in prose poetry or in free-flowing stanzas, these works display emotion, catharsis, and experience. A collection that starts well and only rises as it travels.
October 8, 2019
I realize that I'm odd man out with this review, but despite reading it through twice, I had a hard time engaging with the poems and prose within Skin Memory. I found it dark and melancholy - not a good match for me.
Thanks to NetGalley and The Backwaters Press for allowing me to read a copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
Thanks to NetGalley and The Backwaters Press for allowing me to read a copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
November 25, 2019
I loved this poetry collection. I love how unique the concept was, and the actual writing itself was stunning. I adored how the author explored so many different themes in the one collection, as well as produced so much stunning imagery in regards to nature. Would highly, highly recommend this one.
March 26, 2020
Really wonderful collection of poetry. It is a collection of prose and poetry and everything in-between. The words explore familial themes, abuse, death, nature, etc. Nature leads most of the conversations in this book in such a beautiful way.
August 18, 2019
I received an ARC of this book through #netgalley.
A well-written book of poetry. Unfortunately, I struggled to be engaged due to poor formatting of the ARC ebook.
A well-written book of poetry. Unfortunately, I struggled to be engaged due to poor formatting of the ARC ebook.
September 13, 2019
Such incredible and deep poems, I'll definitely be suggesting this to anyone looking for a good poetry read!
June 5, 2020
Skin memory is a stunning collection of poetry infact so far the best among those which I have read. This book is for everyone who loves poetry and will get tears in your eyes.
August 15, 2020
"And I saw that how we weather it will not save us or deface us. Brokenness in tow or all parts hammered back together and left beside the fire to cool. We are here; this happened: a simple record. If we're lucky, a catalyst. One door framed within another. Even if closure is a construct, I cannot rule out heaven entirely. Whatever finally breaks me, I cannot refuse it."
An wide emotional collection of poetry and prose-poetry, the book explores strong themes of love, family, abuse, loss and death with imagery surrounding the nature, this collection hits off all the necessary points to be one of the beautiful, raw and deeply-moving poetry books of this year.
Even though the writings had the American touch to the imagery, it made me experience some of them with vividness. And for the others, I got the gist of it. The entire collection is put to give the readers a casual flow and it makes the entire journey enthralling. I'm a silent reader and I only get the urge to read out loud in rare works but some of the pieces in this book made me do that. The lyrical touch to those made the experience more beautiful. John's writing style is applaudable and my favourite pieces in the collection include Forge, [this is only a test], Before, and the Birds After, Sanctum, On Being Told: You Must Learn to Love the Violence, Absence Makes the Heart, Nocturne and Spectral.
The collection is definitely thought-provoking, reflective and heart-felt which resonates through the reader for a long time. I am happy to have requested the book! It wasn't what I expected yet, it was a beautifully poignant with long gush of emotional breeze and got a place in my heart.
Thank you, NetGalley and University Of Nebraska Press for providing me with a review copy.
An wide emotional collection of poetry and prose-poetry, the book explores strong themes of love, family, abuse, loss and death with imagery surrounding the nature, this collection hits off all the necessary points to be one of the beautiful, raw and deeply-moving poetry books of this year.
Even though the writings had the American touch to the imagery, it made me experience some of them with vividness. And for the others, I got the gist of it. The entire collection is put to give the readers a casual flow and it makes the entire journey enthralling. I'm a silent reader and I only get the urge to read out loud in rare works but some of the pieces in this book made me do that. The lyrical touch to those made the experience more beautiful. John's writing style is applaudable and my favourite pieces in the collection include Forge, [this is only a test], Before, and the Birds After, Sanctum, On Being Told: You Must Learn to Love the Violence, Absence Makes the Heart, Nocturne and Spectral.
The collection is definitely thought-provoking, reflective and heart-felt which resonates through the reader for a long time. I am happy to have requested the book! It wasn't what I expected yet, it was a beautifully poignant with long gush of emotional breeze and got a place in my heart.
Thank you, NetGalley and University Of Nebraska Press for providing me with a review copy.
March 31, 2020
This is a powerful collection. Williams explores myth with nuance, looking at the legacy of violence and how it impacts not only individuals but landscape, scarring the land, so that those who inhabit it later feel the pain of the past and must reckon with it. The poet plays with form to mirror both the fragmentation of history at the hands of mythmakers and the landscape itself, showing a mastery over the subject that feels genuine and allows Williams to appeal to a spiritual and natural wisdom that defies time (even as it is deeply rooted to place). Less control over the page would make this seem wisdom misplaced, but Skin Memory held my attention from page one—and by the last, I was a devotee. This is at once a contemporary and timeless collection.
December 31, 2019
Review Closer To Publication Date
October 3, 2021
Beautiful book. Only complaint - e-read but could not change the font size. Way to small. could not highlight any of the great passages.
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