"Skin Memory" By John Sibley Williams 

I enjoyed reading these collection of poetry that is described as the "impressions and imprints that we leave on this world physically and psychologically". 

I read the collection a few times, first for just understanding the overall feel of the collection and then I slowly read and reread again to immerse myself in the vivid imagery I slowly transported myself in. The overall feeling I gathered is of pain and suffering while getting through it all through strength and resilience. I felt that just like our skin, the largest organ of our body, it protects our body from elements, harm, injury, and envelops us. Just like our skin - we react to feeling and emotions; sweating, warmth when upset, cool when nervous, or the goosebumps when scared. Love this from the opening, "because skin has a memory all its own and because memory is a language that's survived its skin. For now I just walk the waist-high replanted pines of unassimilation, carrying my words like anchors through an open field of oars". 

The beauty of this collection are the representation of the vivid images of nature - it feels tangible and ever present; clouds, grass, trees, fireflies, stars and the sea. There is definitely a sense of open expanse almost in search for something as the author takes us to different locations, feelings and identities. Thoroughly enjoyed the powerful and tangible writing very much, that resonated with me.  I will be reading this over and over as every time I read this, I peel a little bit more of its complex layers. Thank you!

"Skin Memory" is the winner of the Blackwaters Prize in Poetry, judged by Kwame Dawes of Nebraska Press

Thank you NetGally and Blackwaters Press for the ARC ebook copy.

Some lovely poetry here. John Sibley Williams plays with form and language and creates a collection with a lot of inspiration from nature and other surrounding scenery. Love and family are strong themes, as are pain and suicide. It's not a happy collection but it is articulate and often beautiful and definitely worth a read.

A well-written poetry book that I am sure many will enjoy. Some poems really struck me however due to the formatting of the ARC ebook, it was hard for me to connect to it. That is more of an issue of technology than the author's skill.

« After enough pilgrims have kissed its feet, any statue can be holy. »

This collection by John Sibley Williams tackles themes of love, loss and growing up in a visceral way. The overall result is really quite enjoyable and thoughtprovoking. 

However, I wasn’t as charmed by some things that were included. The hunting references, for instant, just didn’t click with me. It is certainly a matter of culture. Maybe if i were American, these poems, their pictured landscapes and atmospheres would have been more relatable to me and made for a better reading experience. 
I also think that the book could have been structured a little better.


All in all, I want to thank Netgalley for allowing me to discover this author and his work.

I liked this collection. Stories of love, loss, abuse, and growing up were told in bits in pieces of each poem. At some points, I found myself questioning the cohesiveness of the poems. I think the ordering could’ve flowed better. But, maybe disorder is what the author was after. There were also poems about cities or time in cities that didn’t really fit. The metaphors were powerful and I’m sure you could get something new each time reading this. A few lines I read again and again to really reflect and let it sink in. The imagery of the landscape was also beautifully weaved throughout as a character in its own right.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the ARC.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I am not usually one for poetry but this book was one that stayed on my mind for quite some time. Through verse and poems we follow a journey from a child to a father and the number of questions along the way, especially that about belief. There are a number of quotes I have come away with that absolutely stick with me, such as "there are many ways to scream so no one hears" and that "everything begins with missing" I felt like I was on a journey reading this, and my 3 star review only reflects the fact that this is only my second poem book I have read, and I really enjoyed it.

John Sibley Williams shows a wide range of talent for inventive juxtaposition and surprising images from the very first entry in Skin Memory. Whether written in prose poetry or in free-flowing stanzas, these works display emotion, catharsis, and experience. A collection that starts well and only rises as it travels.