12/21/07

‘high-quality bordello, stinking of sex and joie de vivre’

I am pleased and excited to announce that [GROWLING SOFTLY] has received a stupendous new review by Rachel Kendall in the latest issue of ‘Sein Und Werden’.

Here is the beginning of Ms. Kendall’s delectable commentary:


‘Sumptuous, sexy, glossy, dangerous, voluptuous… are some of the words that sprang immediately to mind when I first held in my hands the new poetry chapbook from Blood Pudding Press, edited by Juliet Cook. Never have I been so undecided whether to rip open the covers of the book in front of me, like tearing the rind off a plump fruit, or put it behind glass, its own coffin, free of sticky finger tips, cigarette smoke and babies breath. It's as glossy as freshly painted lips, shiny as cut glass and just as cruelly enticing. And the title, the title, growling softly. A threat, a warning, a guttural sigh. Each copy is one of a kind, with the editrix obviously spending a lot of time and delight putting each together with ribbon and lace. The paper is sepia, a little jagged at the edges. It is high-quality bordello, stinking of sex (almost) and joie de vivre.

But, the thing is to be read. It is not here simply for my visual enjoyment. So, to its 'sticky innards', what is the poetry inside actually like? Well I won't say I savoured every piece, but out of 41, most are spine-tinglingly excellent while the rest are good. I didn't dislike a single poem, only, the subject or rhythm of some appealed more than others.

There's a whole gamut of sordid little packages here, dirty bundles of stanzas, pert verses and rancid subjects oozing from every page.’


And there’s plenty more where that came from. To experience the review in its entirety, please click here:

http://www.kissthewitch.co.uk/seinundwerden/2_3/page4.html


*

The entire new issue of ‘Sein Und Werden’—themed ‘What the Vulture Ate for Tea’—is worth looking into while you’re at it—steeped and teeming with twisted fairy tale poetry by the likes of Misti Rainwater-Lites (a steamy [GROWLING SOFTLY] contributor), Susan Slaviero (editor of the new ‘blossombones’, soon to publish its very first issue), Kristina Marie Darling, and many more.

*

Plus, ‘Planchette’ is almost here.




A delightful little teaser image from 'Planchette' cover artist, Art and Ghosts: