"The word "cannibal," the English variant of the Spanish word canibal, comes from the word caribal, a reference to the native Carib people in the West Indies, who Columbus thought ate human flesh and from whom the word "Caribbean" originated. By virtue of being Caribbean, all "West Indian" people are already, in a purely linguistic sense, born savage".

This poetry collection begins with this and let me tell you I was gagged listening to it, what a beginning!

This is the first time I have read an entire poetry collection through audiobook - and on the one hand, poetry is meant to be spoken, so I loved it, but on the other hand, I feel like I need to see the words of the poem to have it sink in properly and to appreciate it deeply.

I just read an article from the author about her book, how it came about, and her relationship with The Tempest, and it all made so much sense, poetry is always something that gains so much when unpacked (especially because her writing is quite lyrical).
 
Overall I liked this, and am continuing with not rating poetry collections because I often don't know how to!

"But how many ways can we reinvent violence?" 

I absolutely loved the first half of this collection. The fishing and ocean imagery are perfect — especially when rendered so disgustingly, dripping with salt and blood and viscera. 

The second section becomes more political (”Where a bald insurrection of tongues. / Then squashed rebellion, scrutiny. Indoctrination. / To live here we know precisely how to be hunted.”) and angry. I still like it a lot, just not as much as the heights of the first. 

Some favourites: 

I thought some of the writing in this was really beautiful, but it often bogged down the poems.

Less definitely would have been more for me here.

Having general trouble reading poetry right now and just never vibed with this one so decided not to force it.