Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Contemporary poetry intrigues me. It’s either a hit or miss. As a writer of contemporary poetry, I love getting my hands on any such collection. Sometimes, contemporary poetry is raw and full of straightforward passion. Other times, such poetry is vague with simple rhyme that leaves a taste in my mouth. Not a bad taste – but the kind of aftertaste that gives me pause. Love & Misadventure has more of the kind of poetry that captures me, with a tiny aftertaste.
The book is a quick read, and I was enthralled. Poetry is meant to portray the perspective of the writer, and that’s what this collection does. Leav’s imagery of glass shards and Christmas wrappings and songs sung are beautiful and show a new perspective, making me expect one thing and experience another.
Some poems contain simple rhyme, and rhymes at the end of each line tend to irritate me. Maybe because that’s how I used to think poetry should only be? When there is a short poem of four lines that end with the words deplore/ignored/for/bore, it just feels too in-my-face for me. That’s just personal taste – I prefer hidden rhymes that make the reader do a double-take and read the poem again to decipher the puzzle. Occasionally words would be misspelled for the sake of holding the rhyme together, which felt forced.
My only critique in terms of content is the theme that pops up again and again of romance equating ownership. The type of love that is described in this book is more like infatuation, or the beginning stages of what could become love over time.
Overall, I enjoyed this book of poems. The ending felt a bit abrupt and I was left wanting more. Heartbreak and love are universal themes that are reflected in this collection.
Picture from Goodreads.
This review is also on Goodreads.
