Whip-hot & Grippy is a highly innovative 'collection of possibilities in a state of emergency'. The first part is a series of long-form and sequenced poems punctuated by recurring muzak, advertising-speak, sex scenes, terrorism, broadcast media, consumption-anxiety, protest, and human-animal relations. The book culminates in more flinching, a multi-part poem first published and freely distributed in an exhibition in which news of a military dog, shot in service, was merged with the death of a pet dog. Whip-hot & Grippy is Heather Phillipson's second collection, following her highly praised debut, Instant-flex 718, published by Bloodaxe in 2013.
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[-it isn't obvious how all this works - life goes on but does it go on like spreadable dairy-cheese or more easy-fit bedding? LATEST TECHNOLOGY]***
(Bloodaxe Books, 25 April 2019, 128 pages, ebook, borrowed from @natpoetrylib via @OverDriveLibs)
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I'd never heard of the poet before but the title of the collection intrigued me so I decided to give it a whirl. I'm sad to say, I made a mistake. The styles of poems on offer here just aren't to my tastes. That's no detriment to the poet. I'm sure there are people who love her work. Unfortunately, the poems left me cold and scratching my head just a tad. I don't enjoy hip-hop music. It's not to my taste but people love it. These poems reminded me a lot of rap or hip-hop music due to the style and language used. I didn't feel any of them had real substance. What a let-down!
