Rating: 5 stars
Headline: Whether poetry is based on true events or the work of utter fiction is irrelevant when it’s as captivating as this
Review:
Penned by the biracial, bipolar and bisexual poet Quazaye Konkel, Bubblegum heart & other elastic things is a collection that take readers on a story of love won and lost. Beginning with the initial feelings of passion and lust that come with any fledging relationship, Konkel moves through the lines of the opening poem “venus de milwaukee” with ease. These joyful moments are shown in subsequent poems, perhaps peaking with “bubblegum heart”, a midpoint piece where the narrator declares their love for an unnamed individual. By the time readers reach “jinx” there is already a sense that something is going wrong, that the relationship is unravelling and spiralling out of control.
“I didn’t mean to jinx it // when I asked if you were // okay… // I only meant // to kiss it // better”
But even in the lows there is much to be grateful for. In “seasons of loving”, readers are presented with an individual reflecting on the positives of a failed relationship as much as the negatives that ultimately led to its deterioration. It is beautifully written and fitting closing poem for this charming collection.
There is a lot to like with Konkel’s collection, particularly in the strength of the narrator’s voice which follows through all of the poems. The reader is transported on a journey and in doing so builds a strong relationship with the narrator, almost as much as the narrator does with its unnamed love interest. The pacing is good and the varied use of poetic forms keeps the mood and tempo engaging.
It is not often a collection of poetry focuses on one narrative voice working through a linear journey but Bubblegum heart & other elastic things succeeds in captivating readers in a story of joy and struggle. Whether poetry is based on true events or is the work of utter fiction is irrelevant when it is as captivating as this.
AEB Reviews
Links:
Reedsy Discovery Review: AEB Reviews – “Bubblegum heart & other elastic things” by Quazaye Konkel
Purchase Link: “Bubblegum heart & other elastic things” by Quazaye Konkel (Amazon)
Author Website: Quazi Writes – thoughts. feelings. poetry.
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My Housemate's a Mermaid 