Status Updates From Bendita seja a filha criada...

Part III done.
Really good collection. I’m glad I started reading poetry with this one, there’s so many good ones in this. I’m trying to find more poets that write free verse like Shire because I like free verse done like this and not in the “instagram poetry” way. I found a few poems that are right up my alley but I need to dig more.

Will read more of her work after this because Warsan Shire is brilliant!

chills on every page i turn. oh my god bro.

Part II done.
‘Backwards’ is my favorite from this so far. The line “I can make us loved, just say the word” is so powerful and shoots an arrow straight to my heart. I’ll search out for Shire’s other collections after this because while not every poem is a banger, when it bangs it really bangs

but... god, doesn't she wear the world well

Part I done. I like this so far, and I can see myself revisiting this often. There are a few poems I should reread later to better understand them

I read “Introduction to Poetry” by Billy Collins and it made me rethink how to approach and actually read poetry, to read poetry as is and let it wash over me instead of desperately trying to find meaning and missing the point of the experience. I read the first two poems from this and they’re really good, so hopefully this is a start of me appreciating the genre.

so far, it has touched on the immigrant guilt of ed's, self harm(?), disconnect to original culture, living for the hopes of others back home, sexual assault, escapism, loneliness, grief and the treatment of daughter's. every page is heavily braided with a collection of these topics, so even though its a short book, its still such a meaningful one. As an immigrant AFAB myself, I find it painful and important to read.