Ruminations: The Collection of Poetry Vol. II

by Brandi L. Bates

These are poems that teeter on the edge of propriety, which are by turns playful, even cocky, and laden with self-doubt. Their pretensions are few, their presumptions, endearing. In this volume, Bates employs syntactic, imagistic, and stylistic play to illustrate the non sequiturs, lyrical flights, and open-ended conclusions that a mind undergoes. What stays a marvel in this impeccable poet's writing is her determination to bridge between the physically given world and that other we gloss with words, yet apprehend insistently as the defining presence of our lives themselves. Ruminations plays like mad monologue, or a diary of personal and far fetched dramas surfacing into ordinary life. In the deepest sense, these poems are true. These prose poems are highly lyrical with staccato-like clips of accusations, imperatives, and questions. This collection is a continuation of Bates' work with voice and opacity.

102 pages, Paperback

Published October 25, 2002

About the author

Born in 1979, she was born and raised in Los Angeles, California and educated at Phillips Exeter Academy, University of Southern California, Spelman College, Meredith College, and The Master's College and Seminary.

This earthy Los Angeles native is a self proclaimed avid reader and cheerleader of the Talented Tenth and is also known for her fiery intellect and infectious sense of humor. Some of her stories treat reality with a magical realism, sometimes demonstrating an altered reality. Yet, they are always satisfying, stimulating, and thought provoking.

Bestselling Author of Amid the Cacophony of Cries, Ruminations, Lunar Eclipse, Mood Swings, and The Head Mistress, Brandi L. Bates is known for her sexy, fast-paced, edgy style of writing. She gracefully spices up the intimacy and mood with juicy blow by blow details, while weaving a thrilling whodunit filled with brevity, taut atmosphere, and strong psychological suspense. She has been described as a master of suspense, plotting, and vivid characterization by her contemporaries. Her stories have glowing reviews in most literary circles. Best known for her novels that could broadly be described as suspense thrillers, Bates also frequently incorporates poetic elements of erotica, horror, mystery, science fiction, and satire.

Many of Bates’ novels feature sympathetic portrayals of characters who suffer from some mental or emotional abnormality and a desperate struggle for survival that leads to a final confrontation where one never knows where they’ll be taken. Her stories are unpredictable and jarring. Nominated for the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award, Bates is considered one of the pre-eminent writers of twenty-first century African-American literature.