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tshepiso 's review for:
Can You Sign My Tentacle?
by Brandon O'Brien
dark
funny
reflective
I can't help but feel out of my depth reviewing Can You Sign My Tentacle?. I know almost nothing about Lovecraftian horror and rap music which I've learned can be an obstacle when reading a poetry collection billed as "Cthulhu meets hip-hop". But it's a testament to Brandon O'Brien's skill as a poet that even with my blind spots I found this collection to be an enjoyable read.
The most arresting aspect of O'Brien's work is his visceral use of language. His poems are rich with imagery and often have a guttural, rhythmic fluidity that was amazing to read. This tone works perfectly with the subject matter of a lot of his poetry. This collection frequently touches on identity, racism, imperialism and sexism and the imagery evoked to discuss those themes was stunning. O'Brien was at his best when discussing his connection to the earth and his culture and the ways systems of power have attempted to rip him from it.
If I were to pick a handful of favourites from this collection I would say "Time, and Time Again" a tragic poem exploring the grief of losing a lover was a standout. The poem was the perfect blend of tragedy and hope and the cosmic framework of the narrative only added to the beautiful storytelling. I can see myself revisiting that one frequently.
I also surprisingly adored the poem “The Lagahoo Speaks For Itself". This poem evokes Trinidadian mythos rather than the Lovecraftian and goes to show that being unfamiliar with certain elements of myology didn’t necessarily take away from my reading experience. The bitting imagery and gripping descriptions of this poem hooked me in and I loved it.
In the end, Can You Sign My Tentacle? is a difficult collection to recommend. There were moments I felt lost while reading it because of my lack of familiarity with its subject matter. If you know more about Lovecraft and hip-hop than me you'll probably get more out of it. But my lack of familiarity with the subject matter didn’t hinder my enjoyment all that much and that could be the same for others. Brandon O’Brien is a skilled poet whose work I’m definitely willing to seek out after reading this collection.
The most arresting aspect of O'Brien's work is his visceral use of language. His poems are rich with imagery and often have a guttural, rhythmic fluidity that was amazing to read. This tone works perfectly with the subject matter of a lot of his poetry. This collection frequently touches on identity, racism, imperialism and sexism and the imagery evoked to discuss those themes was stunning. O'Brien was at his best when discussing his connection to the earth and his culture and the ways systems of power have attempted to rip him from it.
If I were to pick a handful of favourites from this collection I would say "Time, and Time Again" a tragic poem exploring the grief of losing a lover was a standout. The poem was the perfect blend of tragedy and hope and the cosmic framework of the narrative only added to the beautiful storytelling. I can see myself revisiting that one frequently.
I also surprisingly adored the poem “The Lagahoo Speaks For Itself". This poem evokes Trinidadian mythos rather than the Lovecraftian and goes to show that being unfamiliar with certain elements of myology didn’t necessarily take away from my reading experience. The bitting imagery and gripping descriptions of this poem hooked me in and I loved it.
In the end, Can You Sign My Tentacle? is a difficult collection to recommend. There were moments I felt lost while reading it because of my lack of familiarity with its subject matter. If you know more about Lovecraft and hip-hop than me you'll probably get more out of it. But my lack of familiarity with the subject matter didn’t hinder my enjoyment all that much and that could be the same for others. Brandon O’Brien is a skilled poet whose work I’m definitely willing to seek out after reading this collection.