An exquisite collection from a poet at the peak of her powers, A God at the Door spans time and space, drawing on the extraordinary minutiae of nature and humanity to elevate the marginalised. Extending the territory of her zeitgeist collection Girls Are Coming Out of the Woods, these new poems traverse history, from the cosmic to the quotidian. There is a playful spikiness to be found in poems like 'Why the Brazilian Butt Lift Won't Save Us', while others, such as 'I Found a Village and in it Were All Our Missing Women', are fed by rage. As the collection unfolds, there are gem-like poems such as 'I Carry My Uterus in a Small Suitcase' which sparkles on the page with impeccable precision. Later, there are the sharp shocks delivered by two mirrored poems set side by side, 'Microeconomics' and 'Macroeconomics'. Tishani Doshi's poetry bestows power on the powerless, deploys beauty to heal trauma, and enables the voices of the oppressed to be heard with piercing clarity. From flightless birds and witches, to black holes and Marilyn Monroe, A God at the Door illuminates with lines and images that surprise, inflame and dazzle.
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Anyone who believes a leaf is just a leaf is missing MANDALA
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(@Bloodaxe Books, 22 April 2021, ebook, 120 pages, borrowed from @natpoetrylib via @OverDriveLibs)
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I've read and enjoyed other collections by the poet so I had high hope for A God at the Door. I wasn't disappointed. This is a remarkable collection of poetry. Every poem spoke to me. I enjoyed the variety of styles across familiar subject matter. The poems vary in style and length and each deliver a sucker punch. One of the best is I Carry My Uterus in a Small Suitcase which is only a few lines long and has more depth than poems far, far longer. There is beauty to be found here in the marvels of the world and joy but there is also rage about women and the way they are and have always been treated and culture. I had a great time with this.