Customer Reviews

Queen for a Day: Selected And New Poems (Pitt Poetry Series)

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4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

Denise Duhamel is very much so a woman. Her poems deal with modern day issues of women today, and still have the sound and rhythym that is appealing to the mind. In one collection you can take a trip down memory lane and think back on the nights where you would stay up watching television like "Nick at Nite" or the day you felt beautiful for the first time and felt like you could be completely exposed in front of someone like in "For the One Man Who Likes My Thighs". Women can relate to the pressures of being beautiful and somewhat psychotic efforts we take to get there. She's real.

Denise Duhamel's poems amuse the muse. She can make you laugh; she can astound you with the turns her mind takes. She knows the difference between day and night, between Pepsi and Coke, and between Pepsi and Pope. In David Lehman's words, "With her cunning ingenuity she can talk on almost any subject, and this conversational ease as much as her celebration of culture and her good humor and deadpan funniness make her an excellent example of New York School poetics."

Upon reading her poem Nick at Nite, you will understand just why I like Ms. Duhamel's work. It's crass, frank, funny, and altogether moving. The only question I would pose her if I did have the chance is whether her play on the words Nick at Nite was intentional or not. Either way if you enjoy witty poems with a bit of sentimentality to it this book is for you.

I am a student at Bowling Green (Ohio) and I got to hear Denise Duhamel read from her book last night on our campus. Her work is hilarious but also vey touching and human. Like all the jokes and criticism aimed at society implicate herself as well. I bought her book and she signed it for me! But I recommend this book highly, even if you can't get her to sign it. Her work is informative, challenging, and fun. Oh yeah, and she writes about Barbie dolls too.

It is a real joy to have so many of Duhamel's poems under one roof. Her development in narrative voice is amazing to watch--the book is arranged in chronological order. The newest poems are big and fat and full of fun! Duhamel is the new Queen of the New York School. She rules!

Denise Duhamel's Queen for a Day is a wonderful collection of powerful poetry which tackles taboo societal issues through humorous storytelling. Duhamel uses her poetry as a platform to discuss issues such as the status of women, war, and many other issues which could make her pool of readers shrink drastically due to her controversial viewpoints. However, Duhamel is cunning in presenting these issues to her reader.
One well-known collection of her poems features the epitome of perfection-"Barbie." However, Duhamel chooses to break the mold of what a typical Barbie doll is supposed to be. Duhamel calls attention to several other problems in society by revealing what others may see as flaws within Barbie. Barbie is portrayed as bisexual in "Bisexual Barbie" and her lack of preference for other Barbies or Kens is seen as a non-issue by the narrator. Duhamel also discusses the creation of a Barbie with and Asian background in "Oriental Barbie" and insinuates that the particular creation is degrading to the culture. Whereas others see these elements as flaws, Duhamel celebrates the differences among women instead of lumping them into a singular group.
In the poem, "One Afternoon when Barbie Wanted to Join the Military," Barbie convinces G.I. Joe to lend her his uniform so that she can pretend to be in the military. However, Barbie is disillusioned by war and cannot bring herself to kill anyone and thinks about the soldiers on the opposing side before herself. By having her character think such thoughts, Duhamel is making a statement about war in general, claiming that it may be senseless.
So, instead of portraying her Barbie characters as senseless, irrational beings, she portrays them much in the same way as real women, with real thoughts and feelings. Duhamel seems to use the Barbie character as a way to show women that perfection is not ideal.
Although Duhamel's poetry lacks a certain rhythm and poetic language, her message comes across clearly to her readers in such a way that it encourages them to take a good look at society, as well as themselves, and throw preconceived notions out the window.

This book is by far an eye-catching book. The title itself sets the feel of the book. Denise Duhamel, Queen for a day is comprised of many of her other well-known poetry books. Duhamel examines sex, marriage, culture, and the poetry industry itself. Duhamel's ironic and yet exotic poem will not just leave you wanting to read more but allows the readers to question the unexpected. Her ability to push the boundaries is astounding. Duhamels also writes about not the typical Barbie's little girls are accustomed to playing with but a different more exotic Barbie. Trust me when I say that you will not be bored in reading this book.

Reading Denise Duhamel was inspiring as a reader and a poet. She deals with real issues and has a special talent for women's issues. I especially enjoyed her poem "For the One Man Who Likes My Thighs". She covers so many issues in just one poem-self-esteem issues, societal pressures on women to look like models, and loving yourself for who you are. The depth of each of her poems equals that of "For the One . . ." and I highly reccommend this collection.

What an incredible book of poems! Denise Duhamel's book is really a must-read for any poetry lover, especially those of the feminine sex. She has the ability to discourse on a variety of subjects in a way that is conversational, at times funny, at times serious, and extremely witty. She highlights simple, but realistic problems in the lives of women and portrays them very personally, making them ring true. My particular favorites in this collection were "Him-Whose-Penis-Never-Slept", "How the Sky Fell", and the entire section entitled "Kinky." Ladies, you need to read this section if you recall anything at all about your Barbie doll days. I have a feeling that men may not get as much out of this book as women will because of it's heavily feministic themes but I thought is was wonderful and well worth the read. Do yourself a favor and pick up this book!

I could barely get through the book. Duhamel's philosophy seems to be "first word, best word." The poems are without rhythm; no attention has been paid to sound. The poems are simplistic, predictable, and contain subject matter that has been written about by many other poets with greater success. Sadly, the poems, for the most part, are without heart and do not reach for the universal--they are self-indulgent and boring.