18249429

 

Someone Else’s Wedding Vows

By: Bianca Stone

Released: 2014 by Tin House

Length: 88 Pages

Genre: Poetry

Rating: Five Stars

Acquired: via publisher

 

 Even in the window box we fit

even in the dog’s collapsed grave

even in the wreck

and everyday

-Even Moon

Someone Else’s Wedding Vows is poet Bianca Stone’s full length debut collection. A raw, emotional, beautiful collection of poetry that ranges from topics in varying degrees such as traveling to space, marriage, relationships, and being. She takes a simple concept and transforms it into something whole and immense. There wasn’t a poem in her collection I didn’t love. Her book is earmarked relentlessly.  There are hidden truths in her words. Meanings we have to look for, but have no problem doing so.

Her collection is one of the more cohesive collections I have read in some time. It flows beautiful. Each poem melting seamlessly into the next. They leave you wanting more. At the end, I was desperate for more. I earmarked the last page. I had to. I won’t share with you the last passage of Practicing Vigilance, but it really resonated with me. The whole poem, really.

She splits her collection up in three parts, my favorite being part two. Part two opens up with a rather long poem, Monsieur that I absolutely adore.

Isn’t it hard, monsieur, to speak

of anything except the moon anymore?

Like the room we just now

are leaving

like our mothers

refusing to blow a single fragment

off the ground

only when we look away

things flutter

– Monsieur

Aren’t those two great stanzas? The whole poem is wonderful. Beautiful, delicate, yet a little needy at times. There are so many emotions conveyed, it’s impressive. You read about a relationship that isn’t perfect; has flaws, beauty, and realness. It’s completely refreshing. As is her whole collection. To think this is just a debut! I can’t wait to follow her career.

I know I may sound vague in my critique of her collection. But there is just so much! It’s hard to include everything. When I finished with the first poem, maybe the second at most, I knew there was something special here. That I was reading one of the best collections I have ever read. It’s hard to describe why. To put into exact words and phrases why Stone’s poetry is so special. I can only hope you can trust my words when I say this book of poetry is not to be overlooked. It is raw, real, and truthful. She doesn’t shy away from anything. It’s fresh and imaginative. Go find this book. Buy it at your indie book store for it won’t be at a big one like Barnes and Noble. Believe me, it’s worth reading. It really is. The journey she takes you on is half unreal (living on another planet) and half devastatingly, beautifully real.

Enjoy!