Rating: 3 stars
Headline: A likeable and pleasant read, with the author’s creativity providing energy and bounce on every page
Review:
Dancing Words is a collection by the poet Jocelyne Smallian-Khan. Smallian-Khan’s thirty one poems are themed around dance and movement, many of which being dedicated to individuals close to the author. Lengths and styles of the poems vary, including haikus, one stanza statements and poems spanning multiple pages.
This is a nice little collection of poems and I am quite sure any reader will find a favourite in amongst the collection. Two standout favourites for me are the short a sweet three liner “Temple Dancer” which considers the movement portrayed in ancient art and “Tannoura, Tannoura, Tannoura”. The latter rates highly for its quirkiness and the author’s decision to twist the words into a circle shape which adds unexpected energy and bounce to the content.
Where I perhaps would have liked more in Smallian-Khan’s work is in her use of description and imagery, which felt frustratingly lacking. In most cases the poems are too short to be given the room to breathe and expand in the reader’s imagination. They are over too soon. The use of international dialect also creates confusion, it makes some of the poems a harder experience to read. It is hard to truly become immersed in poetry if you cannot understand what is being conveyed. That said, I am the first to accept that as a native English speaker with poor grasp on global language this could be a case of reader error.
To the right readership, the type who revel in short and snappy poetry, there is a lot to take away in Dancing Words. Those in search of beefy sagas, poems with ample detail and strong visuals may need to look further afield. It makes for a likeable and pleasant read, just not something that can be so readily debated over in poetry groups.
AEB Reviews
Links:
Reedsy Discovery Review: AEB Reviews – “Dancing Words: A Poetry Collection” by Jocelyne Smallian-Khan
Purchase Link: “Dancing Words: A Poetry Collection” by Jocelyne Smallian-Khan (Amazon)
Author Website: https://jjsk.ca/
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My Housemate's a Mermaid 