Take a photo of a barcode or cover
I’m learning
that I don’t always
have to make noise
to be seen,
that even my silence
has a spine, a rumble
and says, I’m here
in its native tongue.
— Excerpt taken from Silence
I think it’s impossible to dive into a book of poetry and expect every piece to resonate with you. With Helium, it took me a while to warm up to it. The first few pieces revolved around the author’s perception of love and his relationship experiences, which I couldn’t really connect with in a meaningful way. I think it’s mainly because of my own preferences — simply put, I think literature is already oversaturated with poems about love and heartbreak, so I don’t have the stomach to fully appreciate them. However, as the pieces became more reflective of his struggles as a person of color and as a person facing deteriorating mental health, my reading experience with Helium drastically improved.
After reading this book, I searched for Rudy Francisco’s live performances online. Personally, I think his works are better delivered orally, instead of in the written word. Watching his live performances made me realize that some of the essence and power behind his words were lost in the process of transferring them into book form, which is a shame. But I think this unavoidably happens to all spoken word artists who try to publish their poetry.
Nonetheless, despite my rocky start, I really enjoyed reading Helium, especially the poems that touched on Blackness and toxic masculinity and privilege. I appreciated the use of accessible language in all his poetry. I liked how the author effortlessly alternated between declarative and reflective tones in a way that really provokes thought from the reader. I loved Rudy Francisco’s bluntness and his messy metaphors that inexplicably made sense. Helium is a remarkable poetry book for a debut author.
Recommended! (4 stars)
Content and trigger warnings:
* I received a digital ARC of this book (via NetGalley) from its publisher in exchange for an honest review.
that I don’t always
have to make noise
to be seen,
that even my silence
has a spine, a rumble
and says, I’m here
in its native tongue.
— Excerpt taken from Silence
I think it’s impossible to dive into a book of poetry and expect every piece to resonate with you. With Helium, it took me a while to warm up to it. The first few pieces revolved around the author’s perception of love and his relationship experiences, which I couldn’t really connect with in a meaningful way. I think it’s mainly because of my own preferences — simply put, I think literature is already oversaturated with poems about love and heartbreak, so I don’t have the stomach to fully appreciate them. However, as the pieces became more reflective of his struggles as a person of color and as a person facing deteriorating mental health, my reading experience with Helium drastically improved.
After reading this book, I searched for Rudy Francisco’s live performances online. Personally, I think his works are better delivered orally, instead of in the written word. Watching his live performances made me realize that some of the essence and power behind his words were lost in the process of transferring them into book form, which is a shame. But I think this unavoidably happens to all spoken word artists who try to publish their poetry.
Nonetheless, despite my rocky start, I really enjoyed reading Helium, especially the poems that touched on Blackness and toxic masculinity and privilege. I appreciated the use of accessible language in all his poetry. I liked how the author effortlessly alternated between declarative and reflective tones in a way that really provokes thought from the reader. I loved Rudy Francisco’s bluntness and his messy metaphors that inexplicably made sense. Helium is a remarkable poetry book for a debut author.
Recommended! (4 stars)
Content and trigger warnings:
Spoiler
References to sexual assault, loss, police brutality, abuse. Topics of racism and generational trauma.* I received a digital ARC of this book (via NetGalley) from its publisher in exchange for an honest review.