Official Review: Seven by Antonio Hopson

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pyb
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Official Review: Seven by Antonio Hopson

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[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Seven" by Antonio Hopson.]
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3 out of 4 stars
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Seven is a collection of poems through which Antonio J. Hopson attempts, rather successfully, to guide his readers through defining events that have shaped his world and his reactions to them. This deeply personal journey is prefaced by a brief introduction by Hopson wherein he explains that the book has woven together the only seven stories in human history to tell: “overcoming the monster, rages to riches, voyage and return, the quest, comedy, tragedy, and rebirth.” These are his seven stories.

The primary focus of the book is the love, lust, and hurt the author has experienced, largely, I believe, with his ex-wife whom he describes as “a suicidal addict who survived breast cancer.”

While it took me a while to settle in, by the sixth poem I was engaged. This involvement increased as the diversity of the collection grew, which, in turn, augmented the complexity of the book as a whole. As I read on, the book meandered through somewhat traditional love poems, minimalistic pieces, poetic prose, rhyme, and even what you could call a short story. I found the poems that were minimalistic to be more effective, with Hope and Thoughts on Whiskey and Love accomplishing a lot with few words. The “love poems” were less successful, perhaps because it is difficult to move someone to feel what you feel, and to say it in a way no one else has.

Some of my favorite phrasings are: from I Steal, “…in a sky of galaxies/holding their jewels like children in a billion tender cradles/rocked gently/with a single fingertip;” from Silver, “This is my favorite picture of you/your gold-spun hair fashioned in a bun/your pink lips smiling/me into the future…”; from Go Ahead and Fall, “…our hearts synchronized…/their clocks timed/to the sound of a single/falling/penny/into a vessel/of riveted walls,/where we have/things to cherish/and more metal than hope…”

I also really enjoyed the poetic prose of Murder of Crows and I Think of the Octopus, as well as the nostalgia of Redwing. All three brought me deeper into the narrative. My favorite, however, was the final poem, What May Come, Will Come. It stands on its own, while also serving as a gorgeous finale.

I rate Seven 3 out of 4 stars. Poetry is very personal and touches each reader in a different way. To be able to make universal connections is difficult at best, but Mr. Hopson does a wonderful job sharing his tale.

******
Seven
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Heidi M Simone
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Post by Heidi M Simone »

I really enjoyed reading your review, pyb! I can definitely get a sense of the types of poems included in this anthology. I'm not sure if this book is for me, but I'm glad that you enjoyed it!
Heidi
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"There is nothing as powerful as a mother’s love, and nothing as healing as a child’s soul." – Unknown
pyb
Posts: 43
Joined: 04 Jul 2016, 08:45
Bookshelf Size: 7
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-pyb.html
Latest Review: "God, Red Shoes and Chocolate Pudding" by Hayley Hart

Post by pyb »

Thank you hsimone!
I was hesitant to take on a book of poetry. It is not only difficult to find poems that a wide audience is able to connect with, but also hard to provide a constructive critique due to their very personal nature.
Latest Review: "God, Red Shoes and Chocolate Pudding" by Hayley Hart
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