Read it once

The Same-Different: PoemsThe Same-Different: Poems by Hannah Sanghee Park
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

There is much to admire in Hannah Sanghee Park’s collection: Her efforts to refresh the language by turning cliche’s on their heads, by extensive wordplay and pun, her surprising us by turning a stale image inside out. Too often, though, the craft and the verbal gymnastics overwhelm the heart.

There are some wonderful exceptions. “Nommo in September” touches deeply. The third section of the book “Fear” is a poem sequence of sorts that also speaks more deeply. Nonetheless, this is a collection I am glad to have read, but do not feel driven to reread.

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