The Soft Black Stars by Matthew Buckley Smith was a gift from a friend of mine. She and I compare our poetry and she has been an excellent editor and inspiration to me. Our styles vary immensely (usually she writes personal, longer poetry, with clever use of styles and formats; mine are a bit shorter, less personal, free verse). Occasionally I will have a surprise package and a book will be that surprise. Usually a poetry collection that she has been part of, a friend of hers, someone she heard speak, or a teacher in one of the classes she takes. And when she sends me something with poetry, I am always interested in it. After all, she thought of me, thought this was something I’d enjoy, so I am excited to experience something new.
Now, the odd part is, I am not sure if I enjoyed The Soft Black Stars. It is realism with a fanciful overtone. The narrator’s voice changes, but each story is told with a similar cadence. Things are mostly straight forward with vivid images created. Sometimes things are a bit “lofty” and maybe a bit too sophisticated for my tastes, but overall it is decent. But do I like it? This chapbook (as the author calls it) has around 20 poems. Each one feels connected and not. This is a plus and minus. I would have liked to have seen some images, nothing fancy, but some small sketches. The white page can be a little daunting and bleak. Most of the poems are relatively on the shorter side. Inspiration comes from all over. But do I like it?
My rating of two seems to say that I do not. Yet, I did. This is a solid “two and a half.” It is something that is not WOW or the worst thing to read. There is something there for the right reader, right time to read. Take your time, read one poem at a time. Just enjoy it. Stop, read it again (the poem, not the book….but then again, do that too). Just relax into the words. Experience the things.
