Customer Reviews

Imagine Being More Afraid of Freedom Than Slavery

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
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This is exactly what Nikki Giovanni is shooting for, and doesn't reach. Pamela takes her rage, fear, and helplessness and transfers it directly to the reader, and does so with a sense of beauty and language that rivals the best of the traditional poets. She brings the world of radical feminism to everyone's doorstep, while never losing the sense of her own irony and philosophical limitations. I hold this book in the same reverance that I hold my copy of Dickenson.

The poems allow you to journey into a soul rarely touched by contemporary poetry. Regardless of sexual preference, color, or religion-Ms. Sneed writes with truth. A truth that is uncomfortable and relentless, but needed.

Pamela Sneed is a true artist. Her poetry portrays the struggles of Black lesbians, lonliness,what it is to suffer abuse, and what it is to find oneself, love oneself, and continue on. I really enjoyed this collection of poems. I would also like to give it the highest recommendation possible. Her work touches the depth of a specific culture as well as the human condition. Not only that, it enthralls readers and brings experience to life. Again, I give this work the highest praise possible, and I encourage all people to read it, know it, analyze it, and abosorb it. Ms. Sneed's poetry is vibrant, no nonsense, in your face, and true to life. Her words open up an adventurous, as well as educating avenue that exposes readers to a feared culture that lives right inside the walls of mainstream society.

"...The poetically inept and politically inane rantings of performance artist Sneed would escape notice but for mainstream publishings cravenly bringing her meager verse to the market and exploiting the anger and confusion of the self-styled revolutionary lesbian poet. Sneed's first book proves that whatever may have been powerful as chanted on the stage is sloppy and facile on the page. Shamed by her suburban hang-ups, Sneed cultivates ``a kick-ass spirit'' and shouts out to all thoselovers, teachers, fatherwho ``UNDERESTIMATED'' her ``POWER.'' She identifies with ``abused'' kids, bemoans ``shackling poverty'' and ``unfeministic jealousy.'' Her political martyrology is a confusion of images from Harriet Tubman to the group rapists in Central Park. Years of therapy reveal that ``psychotherapy is. . . a capitalist tool.'' The poets confusion of politics and pathology leads eventually to the insight that ``the real revolution/is changing myself.'' Underneath it all runs a sad plea for acceptance of the love she offers, and, less appealingly, an amazing desire for literary prizes and big saleswhich just might come to pass, as Sneeds irresponsible publishers no doubt are gambling. -- Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved."

That is beautiful. Such disdain, and utter contempt for this book written in such a elegantly condescending way. I'll buy it right now. :)

Very powerfully, moving work. No, I can't imagine Pamela Sneed being more afraid of freedom than slavery! Pamela shared a wealth of feeling and sharing. She took us there...to see, feel,etc. This sistah is finally free!

As an avid poetry lover, I didn't know what to expect. By accident, I came across this book. Pamela Sneed's poetry is raw and imaginable. I laughed, cried, meditated and felt empathy. There's certainly no more slavery for Pam. With the spirit of Harriet, among others, this sister is truly free...free to be herself. More power to you!!!

Perhaps someone who demands the rigid classicism of a T.S. Eliot would be put off, but I liked it fine. To me, her poetry felt like a mix between Allen Ginsburg's frenetic images/speech rhythms and Pat Parker's stripped, precise rhetoric. " . . . a symphony of sound/strummed on broken guitar strings,/an echo of words overturned/sweetness swallowed, spit/and whispered in my ear . . . I repeat/ each song you quote like scriptures/ poetry is the only gospel/ I know." Sometimes I could almost imagine her on stage, her glorious diatribe still hanging in the air, the audience absolutely quiet. Or in her monologue to God: "This is the end/ of an extremely unfulfilling relationship." Who would've guessed? Humor in poetry after Frank O' Connor. All in all, it wasn't Sir Edmund Spenser, but it was an experience. I recommend it.