The existential magnitude, deep intellect, and playful subversion of St. Thomas-born, Florida-raised poet Nicole Sealey's work is restless in its empathic, succinct examination and lucid awareness of what it means to be human.
The ranging scope of inquiry undertaken in Ordinary Beast -at times philosophical, emotional, and experiential-is evident in each thrilling twist of image by the poet. In brilliant, often ironic lines that move from meditation to matter of fact in a single beat, Sealey's voice is always awake to the natural world, to the pain and punishment of existence, to the origins and demises of humanity. Exploring notions of race, sexuality, gender, myth, history, and embodiment with profound understanding, Sealey's is a poetry that refuses to turn a blind eye or deny. It is a poetry of daunting knowledge.
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I've been pregnant. I've had sex with a man who's had sex with men. I can't sleep. MEDICAL HISTORY
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(@HarperCollinsUK, 4 September 2018, ebook, 80 pages, borrowed from @natpoetrylib via @OverDriveInc)
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I really enjoyed Ordinary Beast. The poems are impressive, covering a range of subjects and ideas and use a variety of styles and structures. While some of the themes and impressions are similar no two poems are alike and each one offer a fresh reading experience. The collection has a mix of more traditional poems and some more prose-like. I also liked the variety of poem length.
