Review by [CA] -- The Immigrant's Lament by Mois benarroch
-
[CA]
- Posts: 22
- Joined: 12 Jan 2017, 15:13
- Bookshelf Size: 4
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-ca.html
- Latest Review: "The Immigrant's Lament" by Mois benarroch
Review by [CA] -- The Immigrant's Lament by Mois benarroch
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Immigrant's Lament" by Mois benarroch.]
3 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
Sometimes those who wander truly are lost. The overwhelming feeling of being lost permeates Mois Benarroch's The Immigrants Lament. It is not an uplifting read, but it is insightful and revealing. Those who have never left home or felt displaced may be shocked at the depth of turmoil felt by the speaker in the poems. One has the sense that the people in the poems lack autonomy in their lives and that they have no true home anywhere. For some it may be difficult to relate to, but undoubtedly worth the effort to try.
The Immigrants Lament by Mois Benarroch is precisely that, a collection of free verse poems that showcase the struggle of immigrants. The poems vary in length but nearly always are melancholy or bitter in tone. Sometimes they are aggressive, often they are nostalgic, and always they are visceral. No subject is taboo. The text touches on sex, jealousy, infidelity, ambition, love, charity, regret, and many more heavy topics. In one poem the speaker recalls his grandfather's weekly ritual of smoking in the bathroom and calls it “Sabbath Diarrhea.” This juxtaposition of a word meant to invoke solemnity with one that describes a disgusting bodily function seems to scream that nothing is sacred and nothing is off-limits. The text even becomes meta at times. One example is when the speaker insists that he doesn't care if no one reads his books even if he had to sacrifice so much to create them. He seems to have accepted injustice and oppression as the inevitable reality of life.
I liked the fearlessness, the honesty, and the realism. I liked the moments of frustration and anger that anyone can relate to no matter who you are. There is a poem in particular that really made me think. It describes a grandfather who ranks his grandchildren from most to least liked. The favorites get the most pocket money on the Sabbath and the least favorites get the least money. The speaker was one of those who received the least money and recalls how he always eagerly spent every bit of it before the Sabbath was over. This poem reminded me of the plight of the poor and unwanted in society. They know they are hated and treated unfairly. What little they receive they feel compelled to use before it is taken away or because their needs are so immediate. They don't have the luxury of saving and planning for the future. They are trapped in the oppressive and unjust present. Whether a person feels lesser in their own family or in their society it has a profound psychological impact. Another example of a poem that illustrates a problem many can relate to is one in which the speaker's house is surrounded by police. The speaker is scared but not at all surprised. The speaker reveals that they have lived in their home for years but that this does not prevent harassment from authorities. Immigrants are often treated with suspicion and are rarely given the benefit of the doubt. These poems give us a look into the lives and emotions of people who have to live this way. It is sobering to say the least.
One thing I did not appreciate were some of the longer poems' tendency to run on. Not all writing need be concise. However as a reader I prefer when writing is paced for easier digestion. For me reading page after page of run-on sentences is exhausting. Perhaps that is just the grammar freak in me. Another nit-pick is the lack of a female perspective. The women in the speaker's life for the most part have his children, have sex with him, and nag him. The speaker in one poem talks about how his wife no longer gives him the attention he wants after the birth of their child and this is his explanation for seeking out a mistress. I realize that the speaker is male and these are his experiences. Still, for me, it was distracting. The author's novel (Ways to) Lucena contained female characters that were not simply there to please, serve, or annoy the male characters. In fairness, that was a novel and this, a collection of poems so direct comparisons are tricky. If your preferences align with mine in this case you also may notice a somewhat narrowed point of view. Open ended lines comes with the territory of poetry as does specific perspectives so these notes are very much a symptom of my own tastes rather than objective faults.
Ultimately this book unabashedly lays out the experiences and pain of leaving home and failing to find anywhere that feels home-like again. It is one person's perspective but one gets the sense that many others have shared these feelings of unwanted-ness and woe. Endeavoring to expand our understanding of our fellow humans is a wise enterprise to undertake especially when our fellow humans suffer. If you don't mind extending your empathy to the depths of despair then this book will give you a glimpse of what chronic dissatisfaction and disappointment truly is. I feel that individuals who are both receptive to poetry and exotic memoirs will, if not enjoy, appreciate this work. Therefore I will give it 3 out of 4 stars. I considered giving it 4 stars but decided that a 4-star rating should be reserved for works that anyone can appreciate regardless of taste. Both the style and the substance are a bit too heavy to hope that those uninterested in the medium and themes will seek it out. However, for the audience it writes to it is a commendable achievement.
******
The Immigrant's Lament
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Like [CA]'s review? Post a comment saying so!
3 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
Sometimes those who wander truly are lost. The overwhelming feeling of being lost permeates Mois Benarroch's The Immigrants Lament. It is not an uplifting read, but it is insightful and revealing. Those who have never left home or felt displaced may be shocked at the depth of turmoil felt by the speaker in the poems. One has the sense that the people in the poems lack autonomy in their lives and that they have no true home anywhere. For some it may be difficult to relate to, but undoubtedly worth the effort to try.
The Immigrants Lament by Mois Benarroch is precisely that, a collection of free verse poems that showcase the struggle of immigrants. The poems vary in length but nearly always are melancholy or bitter in tone. Sometimes they are aggressive, often they are nostalgic, and always they are visceral. No subject is taboo. The text touches on sex, jealousy, infidelity, ambition, love, charity, regret, and many more heavy topics. In one poem the speaker recalls his grandfather's weekly ritual of smoking in the bathroom and calls it “Sabbath Diarrhea.” This juxtaposition of a word meant to invoke solemnity with one that describes a disgusting bodily function seems to scream that nothing is sacred and nothing is off-limits. The text even becomes meta at times. One example is when the speaker insists that he doesn't care if no one reads his books even if he had to sacrifice so much to create them. He seems to have accepted injustice and oppression as the inevitable reality of life.
I liked the fearlessness, the honesty, and the realism. I liked the moments of frustration and anger that anyone can relate to no matter who you are. There is a poem in particular that really made me think. It describes a grandfather who ranks his grandchildren from most to least liked. The favorites get the most pocket money on the Sabbath and the least favorites get the least money. The speaker was one of those who received the least money and recalls how he always eagerly spent every bit of it before the Sabbath was over. This poem reminded me of the plight of the poor and unwanted in society. They know they are hated and treated unfairly. What little they receive they feel compelled to use before it is taken away or because their needs are so immediate. They don't have the luxury of saving and planning for the future. They are trapped in the oppressive and unjust present. Whether a person feels lesser in their own family or in their society it has a profound psychological impact. Another example of a poem that illustrates a problem many can relate to is one in which the speaker's house is surrounded by police. The speaker is scared but not at all surprised. The speaker reveals that they have lived in their home for years but that this does not prevent harassment from authorities. Immigrants are often treated with suspicion and are rarely given the benefit of the doubt. These poems give us a look into the lives and emotions of people who have to live this way. It is sobering to say the least.
One thing I did not appreciate were some of the longer poems' tendency to run on. Not all writing need be concise. However as a reader I prefer when writing is paced for easier digestion. For me reading page after page of run-on sentences is exhausting. Perhaps that is just the grammar freak in me. Another nit-pick is the lack of a female perspective. The women in the speaker's life for the most part have his children, have sex with him, and nag him. The speaker in one poem talks about how his wife no longer gives him the attention he wants after the birth of their child and this is his explanation for seeking out a mistress. I realize that the speaker is male and these are his experiences. Still, for me, it was distracting. The author's novel (Ways to) Lucena contained female characters that were not simply there to please, serve, or annoy the male characters. In fairness, that was a novel and this, a collection of poems so direct comparisons are tricky. If your preferences align with mine in this case you also may notice a somewhat narrowed point of view. Open ended lines comes with the territory of poetry as does specific perspectives so these notes are very much a symptom of my own tastes rather than objective faults.
Ultimately this book unabashedly lays out the experiences and pain of leaving home and failing to find anywhere that feels home-like again. It is one person's perspective but one gets the sense that many others have shared these feelings of unwanted-ness and woe. Endeavoring to expand our understanding of our fellow humans is a wise enterprise to undertake especially when our fellow humans suffer. If you don't mind extending your empathy to the depths of despair then this book will give you a glimpse of what chronic dissatisfaction and disappointment truly is. I feel that individuals who are both receptive to poetry and exotic memoirs will, if not enjoy, appreciate this work. Therefore I will give it 3 out of 4 stars. I considered giving it 4 stars but decided that a 4-star rating should be reserved for works that anyone can appreciate regardless of taste. Both the style and the substance are a bit too heavy to hope that those uninterested in the medium and themes will seek it out. However, for the audience it writes to it is a commendable achievement.
******
The Immigrant's Lament
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Like [CA]'s review? Post a comment saying so!
Latest Review: "The Immigrant's Lament" by Mois benarroch
