To Daughter a Devil by Megan Mary Moore

Poetry Book Review

Title: To Daughter a Devil
Author:  Megan Mary Moore
Publisher: Unsolicited Press
Released: January 3, 2023
Pages: 98
ISBN: 978-1956692518
Stars: 5.0

To Daughter a Devil by American poet Megan Mary Moore is one of the fiercest, most visceral books of poetry I have ever read written by a woman. Inspired by classic horror movies like The Exorcist and Rosemary’s Baby and the archetypal horror of being a female, from the Devil within to every devil we face, she has created a cohesive narrative of dark poetic perfection all women should read. I learned what a bezoar is. I had no idea. Moore writes poems about things that scare her, and they will scare you too.

She reveals the secret fears of all mothers of daughters, reminisces about seeing JonBenet Ramsay’s photo at a supermarket tabloid stand, what it is to be a bad seed, and how using a tampon must feel to the prepubescent. Moore also asks thought-provoking questions and covers everything about being a female child, from just knowing she was born bad to one burned as a witch and to the Enfield poltergeist, with such intelligence, insight, and courage that it has blown me away.

Her fascination with death, morbidity and natural and supernatural afflictions women face is just the kind of phantasmagoric poetry that captivates my imagination. I wish I could write something half as clever. “If Gregor Samsa Was a Girl” was simply brilliant. By the time I read “Our Love is a Two-Headed Calf, “If Swan Lake Had a Happy Ending,” “Madame Tussaud Makes a Death Mask of Marie Antoinette in Madeleine Cemetery,” “Eulogy for the Doe on the Side of State Road 128,” and “Snow White Receives a DM from Dopey,” I had goosebumps and was sighing aloud over how damn good Moore’s work is. I cannot wait to read more of her work.

It shows that Megan Mary Moore holds an MFA in poetry from Miami University. Her work has been published in numerous poetry outlets, magazines, and reviews. To Daughter a Devil was published by Unsolicited Press out of Portland, Oregon—a press I will watch.

Multifarious Dimensions of Meh: A Poetry Collection by Eric Montgomery

Poetry Book Review

Title: Multifarious Dimensions of Meh
Author:  Eric Montgomery
Publisher: Independent
Released: February 8, 2023
Pages: 50
AISN: B0BVBD6JVH
Stars: 4.0

The title and cover of this new poetry chapbook, Multifarious Dimensions of Meh: A Poetry Collection by Eric Montgomery, are terrific! Montgomery should be proud of his courage in putting his work in the public eye for his first chapbook publication, and he shows promise as a poet. While it’s true that poetry can take almost any form, I think some of these poems could be expanded upon to add more depth, but many also stand stark and sharp as they are, exploding with a “Boom!” to break the silence. And they are meant to be read aloud.

Montgomery’s work covers themes of anxiety, depression, PTSD, and other life experiences, many of which we can all relate to. Numerous titles are one-word, which I like, and his poems are short, as they were initially written to be shared on Twitter. Some of my favourites are “Numb,” “Pillows,” “Boom!,” “Nowhere,” “Ghost,” “Forgotten,” “Pounce,” “Must,” “Bokeh,” “Change,” “Little Slice,” “Focus,” and “Shake.” I read this book twice and let his words wash over me. The poems were even more satisfying the second time.

With tens of thousands of poetry books to choose from on Amazon, it’s often hard to decide which one to read, but Multifarious Dimensions of Meh is a quick read that will leave you feeling empathy and respect for its author.

Montgomery expresses his creativity not only through writing but also photography and hosts a spoken word poetry podcast, Poetry is Not Dead. In addition, you can subscribe to his Very Short Story posts for #vss365, a tweet-sized writing prompt based on a specific daily word at Mister Eric (mrericmontgomery.com) or follow him on Twitter at @ImMisterEric.

Confessions Under Cratered Moons: Poetry of Cosmic Chaos by Whitney Aumack

Poetry Book Review

Title: Confessions Under Cratered Moons: Poetry of Cosmic Chaos
Author:  Whitney Aumack
Publisher: Independent
Released: December 4, 2022
Pages: 163
ISBN: 979-8365820777
Stars: 5.0

The first poem in Whitney Aumack’s second poetry collection, the fabulously titled Confessions Under Cratered Moons: Poetry of Cosmic Chaos, called “A Gift to the World,” immediately captivated me. Because I know we are kindred spirits who, as poets, look at the world in a similar way, often through the mud-streaked pane of depression that we never stop trying to keep clean, and with music as our compass. By the time I read “I Can & I Will,” I was revisiting my twenties and early thirties, reminding myself that I, too, know my worth.

“I dive into what it means to be human in a world of pain, hookup culture, love, and loss. This book covers a variety of themes, such as love, loss, betrayal, pain, hope, despair, eating disorders, addiction, and domestic violence.”

As a recovering alcoholic, Whitney, a full-time college student in Washington State, writes about trying to make it through gray days, succumbing some days to being a solo drunk, always falling for the bad boys, sometimes finding herself doing the walk of shame, and wrestling with unrequited love. I know we are poetry sisters seeking to find meaning in the hardships of life, living for the days we almost understand. Sometimes it has taken a few tokes, a bottle of tequila, gin, or whiskey, or writing poetry to cope, but we play music loud, dance around the kitchen, and do our best to take life one day at a time, choosing to believe there are better days ahead.

Whitney writes many short poems that pack a punch, like “Make It Another Day,” “Tiptoes,” “We All Fall Down,” “Sheep,” “The Only Choice Was to Make a Choice,” “Dancing in the Kitchen,” “Ignorance Isn’t Bliss,” “It’s Not Over,” “No” Is a Complete Sentence,” “West on a Full Tank,” and “The End,” which were among my favourites.

She writes beautiful Haiku, which isn’t an easy thing to do. But I loved “Trust,” “End the Cycle,” and “You Can Let Go.”

Aumack, who did not have an easy childhood or youth, now recognizes what is sacred and profane, always ready to let light in even though she’s not afraid of darkness. She knows there are a million ways we’re all the same, and she knows what she wants to do moving forward. She also knows the power of poetry in healing. Whitney Aumack’s exquisite work will make you feel seen, heard and validated.

Even though I am over twenty-five years older, I see you, Whitney, and you are not alone.

Connect with Whitney Aumack at Whitney Has Words (whitneyaumack.com) or @eclectic_poetry on Twitter.