Thank you to NetGalley for my free review copy. All opinions are mine. I really wanted to dig the bones off this book of poetry! Man!! With all that’s going on in the world, I was so excited. I was sucked in by the blurb and promise. I think it just boiled down to one main thing. Let’s get into the review.
Book Blurb:
Ode To America is a song both difficult and sweet as it touches upon America’s extant soul as it struggles to impress itself upon a girl so unfamiliar with its aloof persona. It is written in poetic form, daring its readers to catch up, as it takes flight into issues both far and near to every person’s aching heart, in a country so treasured and bold. It covers topics such as race, relationships and capitalism, urging its readers to take its form of compassion, grace and good sense in its attempt at repairing American culture.
Poetry is such a beautiful thing, and as a reader of it I can never really review it honestly as I could or would fiction, or even non-fiction. It’s too different, and serves a different purpose. Not to mention a different reading experience from these other genres. All I can go on is: did I understand it, enjoy it, or even dig the poet’s style? Does it Resonate? In this case I found it really hard to adjust to the author’s writing style, or poetic flow. I missed the key meanings in their pose and work. That’s all it boiled down to.
The poems are all rather long also, more like short stories but for me it was hard to appreciate and get into, I could not adjust. The subject matters themselves of the poems as you can see from the blurb, and from myself reading Ode to American–they are wonderful! Timely! Very educational! And I think I just expected something different, or I am the wrong kind of reader/audience for the author.
For me 2.5 stars but I do recommend the book to all those who have an interest, or who are drawn in by the blurb. Give it a try, you may find the poetry resonates more than I did. I thank the author for allowing me to read their work, and NetGallery too.
Author, Kim Knight 
I love poetry, I love the way the words flow on the tongue, I especially love the way the poet transfer their thoughts and all the work that goes into each piece. I write poetry but never thought myself a poet. When I think poet I think Maya Angelou, Oscar Wilde………
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I absolutely love it too, I really do. Especially as it’s the one thing I don’t ever write. As with fiction, sometimes not ever reader is meant for you, or will connect with the poetic flow. I would recommend this book totally to all poetry lover! In case they connect. When I think of poetry, yes those authors come to mind as well, especially Maya.
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