Winner of the 2001 Tupelo Press First Book Prize selected by the award-winning poet Gregory Orr. As three worlds collide, a mother’s Philippines, a father’s India, and the poet’s contemporary America, the resulting impressions are chronicled in this collection of incisive and penetrating verse. The writer weaves her words carefully into a wise and affecting embroidery that celebrates the senses while remaining down-to-earth and genuine. “…We see that everything is in fact miracle fruit, including this book itself.” -Andrew Hudgins
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
With a lovely, effective poem about elephants, a boat-shaped poem whereby "The Bonsai Master's Daughter Breaks Her Silence" and a "Canticle with Sea Worm" ("blessed be juice and raspberry vodka"), the Miracle Fruit of Aimee Nezhukumatathil's debut comes through in light bursts of clear sensuality and joy.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Review
With a lovely, effective poem about elephants, a boat-shaped poem whereby ""The Bonsai Master's Daughter Breaks Her Silence"" and a ""Canticle with Sea Worm"" (""blessed be juice and raspberry vodka""), the Miracle Fruit of Aimee Nezhukumatathil's debut comes through in light bursts of clear sensuality and joy.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --Publishers Weekly
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --Publishers Weekly
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More About the Author
Aimee Nezhukumatathil is the author of three collections of poetry: LUCKY FISH (2011), MIRACLE FRUIT (2003), winner of the Tupelo Press Prize and the ForeWord Magazine Poetry Book of the Year Award, and AT THE DRIVE-IN VOLCANO (2007), winner of the Balcones Prize. Other awards for her writing include a fellowship from the National Endowment of the Arts and the Pushcart Prize. She is associate professor of English at State University of New York-Fredonia.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 13 people found the following review helpful
By garyfem
Format:Paperback
Nezhukumatathil can blend humor and vulnerability and sharply wrought observations like no other young poet writing today. looking for pretense? jargon? name-dropping? convoluted lines to show how "deep" she is? sorry, buster, you won't find them here.
I found this book unexpectedly moving and charming and dazzling all at once. To me, if I am haunted by lines while I am brushing my teeth days later and those lines force me to grab the book and savor those lines again, it is well worth the bang for your buck.
POEMS THAT SIZZZLE: "Small Murders" "Betelgeuse" "Why I am Not Afraid of King Cobras" "Swear Words" "The Woman who Turned Down a Date with a Cherry Farmer"
Her name is all over the lit magazines now and i've watched her success with much joy and pride: I own a copy of her hard to find chapbook! Hundreds of editors and fans cannot be wrong. Only the most jaded and jealous would begrduge this work's uncanny and honest miracle of bringing smiles to readers. Imagine that: a poet who can actually make people smile!
Miracle Fruit is one of those rare first books that feature and eclectic and fascinating look into the small joys and wonder of nature, science, math, food--and yes: heartbreak and love too.
I've lent my copy out to a pal and it came back all dog-eared and underlined. Truly worth savoring each and every page!
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By craigT
Format:Paperback
Simply put: one of the BEST new voices and books in recent memory. I surprised myself--how often I caught myself smiling. A rare feat these days in young poets' verse. Absolutely full of charm and a humble intelligence.
8 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Aimee Nezhukumatathil, Miracle Fruit (Tupelo Press, 2003)
One of the fringe benefits of being a reviewer in the age of the Internet is that finding information on authors is much easier. A perusal of Aimee Nezhukumatathil's weblog shows us a woman who is (or comes across on the Internet, at least) funny, but in a quiet rather than a slapstick way; beautiful; shockingly intelligent, but with enough presence of mind to know when to dump the brain and rely on the heart, the gut, or the funny bone; thoughtful, observant; somewhat humble. It should not surprise many that her first book-length collection, Miracle Fruit, is a perfect mirror of these traits. It is also, in many places, unexpected; old ground gets fresh, surprising treatment. Even the hoary old love poem gets a new luster:
"...I like to think of Orion--
not hunting at the moment,
but nudging fools like me out of the way, saying
not your turn, not like this. I ignore him, press on, until
I come to that ruddy shoulder and find it's too big
to even try to circle around. The way it pulses just a little
makes me think of my own blood in my veins,
how it flows and kisses each muscle only
as long as I stay put upon this earth. And maybe he's right:
scribbling notes on lovers' shoulders, necks, throats--
is not the way. But I love the trying, not the mess, the rugs
and dust scattered. Only this sweet business of trying."
("Betelgeuse")
The book is full of clever twists and turns, with a gentle, self-deprecating humor that casts the poems here in molds that lend themselves to the easiest of reading, that beguile the reader into letting them linger on the tongue long after the final word is spoken. This is fine work, some of the best poetry released in recent years that's come across my desk; mark the (easy-to-remember, certainly) name Aimee Nezhukumatathil, for if there is any justice in the poetic world, you will be seeing it a lot more in the years to come. A strong candidate for my top twenty-five reads of the year. **** ˝
One of the fringe benefits of being a reviewer in the age of the Internet is that finding information on authors is much easier. A perusal of Aimee Nezhukumatathil's weblog shows us a woman who is (or comes across on the Internet, at least) funny, but in a quiet rather than a slapstick way; beautiful; shockingly intelligent, but with enough presence of mind to know when to dump the brain and rely on the heart, the gut, or the funny bone; thoughtful, observant; somewhat humble. It should not surprise many that her first book-length collection, Miracle Fruit, is a perfect mirror of these traits. It is also, in many places, unexpected; old ground gets fresh, surprising treatment. Even the hoary old love poem gets a new luster:
"...I like to think of Orion--
not hunting at the moment,
but nudging fools like me out of the way, saying
not your turn, not like this. I ignore him, press on, until
I come to that ruddy shoulder and find it's too big
to even try to circle around. The way it pulses just a little
makes me think of my own blood in my veins,
how it flows and kisses each muscle only
as long as I stay put upon this earth. And maybe he's right:
scribbling notes on lovers' shoulders, necks, throats--
is not the way. But I love the trying, not the mess, the rugs
and dust scattered. Only this sweet business of trying."
("Betelgeuse")
The book is full of clever twists and turns, with a gentle, self-deprecating humor that casts the poems here in molds that lend themselves to the easiest of reading, that beguile the reader into letting them linger on the tongue long after the final word is spoken. This is fine work, some of the best poetry released in recent years that's come across my desk; mark the (easy-to-remember, certainly) name Aimee Nezhukumatathil, for if there is any justice in the poetic world, you will be seeing it a lot more in the years to come. A strong candidate for my top twenty-five reads of the year. **** ˝
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
first time buyer
got in very good timing, the book was in excellent condition, cant tell that it is used.
Published on October 29, 2010 by heather
5.0 out of 5 stars
Miracle Poet
I actually took two classes from Aimee while at SUNY Fredonia. Being able to see her perspective on life was a changing time for me. She really is amazing and so clever. Read more
Published on February 20, 2005 by H. Carlson
5.0 out of 5 stars
extremely crisp and colorful writing
A+ So good! I was blown away. Important to note that this is a poet who is not afraid to take herself too seriously while sounding out gorgeous strings of words and whose writing... Read more
Published on January 17, 2005 by jezebellee
5.0 out of 5 stars
AWESOME FRUIT
This book blew me away. Period. Funny, sexy, smart. And the books not bad either!
Published on August 30, 2004 by ptypablo
1.0 out of 5 stars
Ho-hum...Nothing New Here...Don't Waste Your $ or Time!!
Aimee Nezuhkumatathil's name has been appearing in many a lit. journal lately...whether it be an interview in Black Warrior Review to poems in big name magazines such as Prairie... Read more
Published on May 29, 2004
5.0 out of 5 stars
inspiring
As inspiring to read as to hear her speak the words themselves...a fantastic poet and a fantastic teacher to those who wish to follow that same path.
Published on March 27, 2004
4.0 out of 5 stars
a delicious debut
Just came across this author's work on Poetry Daily and was blown away by the attention to detail, the sensitive nuances she uses to create fantastic and heartfelt mini-worlds in... Read more
Published on February 23, 2004 by mikepetersen
1.0 out of 5 stars
You can't be serious.
This book is banal and its author's fame and fortune a result of nothing but her exotic surname.
Published on February 23, 2004
5.0 out of 5 stars
easy to see why so many are in love with this poet!
Oh! oh! oh! Such a gorgeous and smart read. I found myself smiling inspite of all this dreadful weather. I already cannot wait for more of Nezhukumatathil's work. Read more
Published on August 16, 2003 by readingjedelsen
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fresh Fruit!
Wow! I saw Nezhukumatathil read in Madison, WI when I was just passing through and was pleasantly surprised. I am totally a fan now. Read more
Published on June 20, 2003 by tanya eldersen
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