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Reduction Fired

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Worth reading 😎

A thoughtful compilation of poetry with a casual, yet heartfelt display of inspiration.

Reduction Fired by Jennifer Yeates Camara is a subtle collection split into four sections. Poems are presented in Winter, Autumn, Summer, and Spring categories. It's a nice idea, but the poems aren't always connected to the theme in that section. My guess, though each poem doesn't relate directly to nature and the changing seasons, is that Camara has a personal connection to the poems and seasons. For instance, the poem "Scarecrow" might be better served under the Autumn category instead of Winter.


The Autumn section of the book breaks down into subcategories underneath an idea such as "Chalk Drawings." Camara puts out some introspective poems in this section, but the themes don't mesh well. The poetry tied to "Chalk Drawings" doesn't have a clear message. I also believe the title "Chalk Drawings" might be better served under the Summer section.


Despite structure issues, Reduction Fired has some beautiful gems tucked away. Camara's poem "Enough" has a raw and powerful message:


"I fan out my bare boughs like veins pushing into the sky’s flesh as though trying to draw out enough blood to live..."


The poem "Sighting" seeps with beauty and desperation:


Atop a towering lighthouse surrounded by foam the beacon of my mind burns bright..


Jennifer Yeates Camara has a lovely way with words. Each of her poems feels personal and truthful. She searches within herself and finds pieces of her mind, heart, and soul. The ability to gracefully write the way Camara does is refreshing. Reduction Fired gives us a glimpse into the deepest parts of Jennifer Yeates Camara, uniting the reader with the author in an honest way.



Reviewed by

Rachel Patterson's poetry has been published in several literary journals, such as The Penmen Review. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Creative Writing and English, and she is completing her MFA in Creative Writing. Rachel lives near Pittsburgh with her husband, son, and three crazy cats.

Winter

About the author

Jennifer Yeates Camara lives in Vancouver, Canada. She is the youngest of 13 children, born to an extremely poor family. She excelled at languages and maths throughout school, and this duality is seen in her poetry. She later explored poets from different cultures, and keenly continues learning. view profile

Published on May 25, 2021

8000 words

Genre: Poetry

Reviewed by