Iguana Iguana

by Caylin Capra-Thomas

Alive to the beauty and anxiety of new worlds and people, Iguana Iguana imagines a tough and tender soundtrack for tumbleweeds in search of roots. Recursive, deliberate, and as adaptive as their titular lizard, these poems invite us to listen so as to better hear “…the sweet shriek / of those far-off trains you suspect are coming / to claim you. To lay open the hills you haven’t seen.” Caylin Capra-Thomas writes towards understanding the strangers we meet and knowing the stranger within. In doing so, she maps a blueprint for "lay[ing] into the world / like it's good enough".

Genres: Poetry

92 pages, Paperback

First published June 7, 2022

About the author

Caylin Capra-Thomas is the author of IGUANA IGUANA (Deep Vellum Publishing 2022), as well as the chapbooks Inside My Electric City (YesYes Books 2016) and The Marilyn Letters (dancing girl press 2013).

Reviews

[Holly Pelesky]

a collection that feels like a traveler’s guide: through america yes but also through the words we wanted to say but didn’t, the emotions that tie us, the art and friendships that heal us.

capra-thomas is curious about language, uses phrasing reminiscent of a great musician. she picks details that bridge differences to bring us to a shared meaning the way a great teacher would instruct a new writer to.

callahan and sumner was a favorite poem, showcasing exactly what capra-thomas can do as a poet—winding place and generations into one epiphany of existence.

fantastic in its unordinariness, iguana iguana is a fresh voice that belongs among the greats

[Laura]

An outstanding collection of poems. The poet's use of language is inventive, funny, and touchingly honest. She writes vividly about landscapes as varied as Florida, Montana and Cape Cod. Details about the natural world, animals, observing strangers, being in the kitchen and garden, and our complicated relationships pervade these poems.

[Cynthia Capra]

A spectacular collection of poems, filled with lush language and rich images. Funny, evocative, poignant. Loved it.

[Lauren]

Day 20 of The Sealey Challenge. Themes of Florida childhood, memories, prose poems and vignettes.

[Cassie]

This morning reading Caylin Capra-Thomas' IGUANA IGUANA & you know when you see heatwaves flair on a backroad you know too well, right before the turn to somewhere you think you body-know but when you leave, that place is a collection of rattled artifacts you make into a memory-stable—that’s this book.

I was making a list of favorite poems & realized I just 💛 the collection. It travels—Geographical distance, the distance between our selves, the gaps in the parts of our places we keep and the ones that flicker or go. It feels like the poetry embodiment of hitchhiking. 🦎

[_Asa]

3.5+ I really enjoyed a lot of lines throughout this collection. It remains to be seen whether this will stand out as a memorable read in months to come, but for now I was quite happy with these poems. They are thoughtful and original enough to hold your attention. Thanks to the publisher for the e-galley - I look forward to revisiting this poetry as a hard copy.

[Tauwan Patterson]

At first I did not understand what was so great about this here set. But talk about a slow burn, as the collection slowly began to spread its wings and more than earn the accolades thrown at it in reviews and the blurbs on the back. Introspective, gorgeously written poems with amazing title exist here. Much love. Glad I stuck it out.

[B.J.]

If you’re not giving this five stars, sit on your goddamn thumbs and read it three more times. Reading without the use of your thumbs will hopefully help you slow down and get lost in this adept, human, sharp, and searing voice. Seriously, fuck your thumbs.

[isra]

Exquisite. Full review coming soon 😌

[Alexandra]

Some of it was very beautiful but the poems didn’t always leave you craving more.

[Aspen]

Meh (poetry).

[Annelie]

Read my review here!
http://c-j-l-c.org/portfolio/iguana-i...