Butcher is an amazing collection of 32 poems, divided into different segments, talking about love, loss and portraying a vivid picture of accepting and becoming oneself.
This collection of poems felt so raw, honest and personal that I wished I could go on reading longer. First of all the entire idea of presenting is very unique. I have never read something like this before. After all the chain of events of last year, these poems hit on a whole another level. The style of writing reminds me of words from Ocean Voung, Lang Leave and Rupi Kaur at the same time.
It always takes a lot to describe such vivid emotions in just few lines. The poet, talking about the kindness of a mother, loss of a brother, the grief coming out of it, being a person of color and gay and everything one has to go through for being so as if you are paying a price of something you never purchased. I really enjoyed reading these poems. Couldn’t appreciate more. #butcher #netgalley

A small book, which brings us a lot of hard and cruel feelings. Death, loss, and love are perceived here by the visceral, the offal of an animal, the people important to the author are mirrored in the same way. But what an irreverent way to demonstrate feelings causing strangeness to those who read!
Butcher is thus the name of the book and, yes, the name lives up to all the poems that the author exposes. Butcher of feelings, a butcher of meat that goes further by breaking the soul. It is incredible how in so few words and viscerally we can feel the dexterity and the desire to tear everything to reach the depths of Natasha, becoming herself: a butcher poet! I believe that with this work she found more than a cure for the pain she feels at the death of her brother. This book is a beautiful work of self-analysis and memory protection, but it goes further by proposing to touch the heart and soul of those who read this book.
Alcohol is one of the themes mentioned here, Natasha describes it as a destructive addiction and very present in her life, also admitting her impotence before him. The theme of racial discrimination is felt by the author and highlighted by very current facts.
In addition to being a book that mirrors Natasha's life, it is a current book, demonstrating that Natasha has a great ability to know how to pose and reflect on pertinent themes and, at the same time, bring her life to the top as a way of healing for yourself and others.
I recommend this book to teenagers and young adults to self-examine and/or reflect on the world around them.

2020 was a year filled with loss for a lot of us. “Family Reunion” was especially poignant and relatable for me. “The Other Black Man” was less relatable as a cisgender female but it was moving. I loved every piece in this poetry collection and it is a good read for anyone, but especially anyone dealing with loss.

Firstly, I would like to thank NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

“On days like today you’re just existing, and that’s fine. The ocean is not always a tsunami. The wind is not always a tornado. You are no less powerful in all your stillness.”

Butcher is exhausting and painful in the best way possible. To butcher oneself into true openness where we can freely experience love, loss, grief, and, finally, healing and progress.

This book was nothing short of stunning, I loved every sentence of it. It simultaneously broke my heart, enraged me, and made me feel powerful. You can feel the author’s heartache, anger, desperation, grief, exhaustion, and gratitude all throughout the pages. The poetry in this book effortlessly depicts both the relentless pain and the beauty that comes with being alive.

It is timely that I should read this on New Years Day after a year where struggle, loss, and loneliness were the theme for so many. This book brought me empathy and understanding that the world is desperately in need of.

When I saw this collection for the first time it was the cover was what drew me in, but the wonder does not end there. Butcher is a deep and raw collection of poetry by Natasha T Miller about life as a gay woman of color who has faced many losses. For me it was almost autobiographical poetry which I love. I felt like she was letting me into her deepest most sacred moments, Truly beautiful collection.

Thank you to Button Poetry and NetGalley for the ARC in return for my honest review

I would like to thank Netgalley and Button Poetry for allowing me the chance to read the book free of charge in exchange for a honest review. Her poems were raw & honest and cover difficult topics! I see you, Natasha Miller!

First of all, I would like to thank NetGalley for offering me the chance to read in advance this book in exchange for an honest review.
The poetry book contains 32 poems which are systematically arranged in the 5 chapters relating to the body parts of a cow: The Rib, Tongue & Cheek, The Round, The Tenderloin, and The Brisket. All these chapters carry connotations of body and life, and means that feelings are channeled through organs.
The title, “Butcher,” makes us to take into consideration the fact that sometimes we have to be our own feelings’ butcher; even if we may deal with grief, sadness, melancholy, depression, the death of a loved family member or a pet, racism, injustice, we need to cut off any feelings related to them, wipe our tears, and move on because that’s what the society expects from us.
In a nutshell, the poems tell the story of resilience, sisterhood, BLM movement, the continuous survival during daily struggles coming from being a woman of colour and gay besides.
“It’s cold for black girls even
In the summer. It’s winter for us no
matter what season it be.”

“Let this poem be the ‘Hey sis, thank you and I see you’
when you’ve become invisible
to movements you’ve created
When you’ve carried sadness two times your body weight
yet still showed up to the functions smiling.”

Personally, I’ve recently discovered that poems are conveying more emotions and feelings than a narration, and when that happens to relate to subjects that I like or even subjects that are new and challenging but rendered in simply but genuinely lines, I definitely recommend them to all books/poetry books lovers. And this is also the case of this poetry book.

First off thanks NetGalley for this digital ARC to review.

I find it so hard settling on a rating for poetry books. Out of all literature I feel poetry is truly the most subjective. So my rating really only reflects how I personally connected to the book.

This was definitely a cover get for me. The cover drew me right in and I couldn’t wait to start. The subject matter of the book is far darker than the cover portrays. There were poems that really moved me and brought out intense emotion, but overall this collection wasn’t for me.

If you enjoy modern poetry I would definitely check this one out! I would suggest checking out trigger warnings before diving in if you need to.

This is a heartbreaking collection of poetry surrounding Natasha's queerness, her relationship with her mother, and her late brother and coping with his death.

Natasha's pain is clear and it translates through every word. This is definitely not a light read, and my heart hurt with every poem, however it does shed light on dealing with death and grief.

There were some parts of this collection that felt disjointed or even unfinished, however I think that's a perfect representation both of the cuts of beef as a metaphor (disembodying) and of dealing with grief (never-ending). There's a perfect imperfectness to Miller's writing that is so pure and real.

Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

Natasha T. Miller, in poems that take up half the page or less and other poems that spread out over multiple pages, offers the reader strong metaphors, packed language, and powerful images. Butcher is a collection of reflection and experience that is well worth exploring.

I love how I never ceases to be amazed by how words move me, because it's exactly how I felt reading this poetry collection. In various parts; the author cuts down situations to their sizes, and each part brings out a feeling, a thought and takes you along onto the next part of the journey.
In reading, Two Fires, I was reminded of what it means to disagree with a loved one. Then moving on to, An Open Letter to Raven Symone, I was reminded of what it means to stand up and speak the truth, call evil and injustice for what it is and not hide in the comfort of my status, and just the phrase ‘old black or new black, you're still black' sealed this.
31 moments, spread into 5 parts is what this collection is, but even then just reading it is enough to experience the pain, resilience,love and hope that can remind you of what it means to love and grieve.

Thanks Netgalley for the eARC. The cover is beautiful as well.

Butcher
eARC NetGalley Review

Having been unfamiliar with Miller’s work, I went into reading Butcher expecting a narrative written in verse. Instead, this is a collection poems that relate to a central theme of grief. I read this in one sitting, and as soon as I finished, I went to her Instagram page to see/hear her perform. And then I read it all again. The second time reading it, I felt the flow of words; they are magical. Powerful.
My favorite is “I See You”

I felt the hurt, anger, and love. I can’t begin to imagine the experiences Miller has been through, I’m not even going try to say I understand what it’s like to be a Black, gay female who lost her only brother. I do however hope that these words offer solace to others who do relate to her story.

Thank you NetGalley for access to this eARC. This is something I don’t think I would have found otherwise and I am grateful to have read it.
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A very confronting and interesting read that discusses race, biases, gender and prejudice outlined by the cuts of meat.

A short but not easy read, this book is shockingly sincere and relatable.
One line that stuck with me was:
"You might think that here is the only language your skin speaks, but I can assure you that racism is one hell of a translator."