Writer's Block

A Book of Shitty Poems

Poetry - General
Kindle Edition
Reviewed on 07/26/2022
Buy on Amazon

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    Book Review

Reviewed by Vincent Dublado for Readers' Favorite

Writer's Block: A Book of Shitty Poems by O. Persaud is indeed an anthology of shitty poems to the core—literally. In 74 pages, this little volume pays tribute to that human necessity that requires our tryst with the john. This anthology is the product of a bonus chapter in the poet’s award-winning book, Shitolian. It has been expanded as a response to positive feedback. The result is fascinating attention to detail about the different types of crap that we flush out. The texture, size, color, and the feeling each elicits are written with descriptive confidence complemented by an e.e. cummings style that distinctly identifies O. Persaud’s poetic style. This book is solid proof that there is such a thing as shitty poetry.

At first, I thought that Writer’s Block was dedicated to celebrating the U.S. National Bad Poetry Day. I stand corrected as I got hooked on these verses. To paraphrase Leslie Nielsen in his film The Naked Gun: I Love It! Clearly, something in Persaud’s poetry is working in his favor. Is it dedicating a volume of poems exclusively to discussing the semantics of shit? Is it his daring creativity to talk about something that many would not dare talk about? Is it because his poetry is a brilliant figurative examination of the human condition? I would say that all these elements come together effectively and build up this collection as an enticing read. I particularly like his take on the dung beetle and the creepy experience of being watched from a peephole while you’re shitting. Persaud finds sharp and witty observations that jolt you into awareness, and it’s what makes his poems so powerful and entertaining. Whether or not you’re into poetry, Writer’s Block is sure to entertain and provoke you.

Pikasho Deka

Are you someone who likes a bit of levity in their poems? If you are, this just might be the book for you. What started as a bonus chapter for the award-winning book Shitolian has been turned into a full collection of satirical poems by O Persaud with Writer's Block: A Book of Shitty Poems. With each poem containing references to the proverbial stuff excreted by humans, you may pass them off as a joke. However, that would be a mistake. Despite the light-hearted approach to the verses, Persaud's poems touch upon some relevant topics that manage to pop out of the pages. These include how bottling stuff inside just delays the inevitable (no pun intended), the repetitive redundancy of today's hectic life, dealing with difficult situations, embracing new challenges, making mistakes, the self-righteous preaching of hypocrites, and much more.

A hilarious collection of poems that truly made my day, Writer's Block is a book that I will gladly recommend. If you don't like to take yourself too seriously, this will be your jam. There is an underlying layer of meta-commentary behind O Persaud's seemingly pulpy verses that only adds depth to the satirical nature of the narrative. One of the poems sheds light on the ridiculous double standards people use while they judge each other based on the color of their skin. While every poem may feel stylistically similar, with post-modern elements in their structural organization, what makes them unique are the respective subject matters they delve into. I had a great time reading the book and think others will too.

Courtnee Turner Hoyle

Writer’s Block is a continuation of another book of poetry, Shitolian, by O Persaud. The author chose to extend them from an additional chapter in a previous book as they were so well received in his award-winning novel. The poems in Writer’s Block are introduced by Persaud as edgy and raw. The material in each poem is related to fecal matter, but not necessarily the physical kind, more like the metaphorical kind, like the stuff we keep buried or avoid. There was even a poem about the presents birds leave on cars, and I found it humorous, as it was written as a haiku. The poems are written in free form and lack punctuation or capitalization, but I felt they were better interpreted without additional structure as the ideas should be taken from the words and not from the technical form.

Sometimes, simple words or phrases convey O Persaud’s meaning and might be random to some individuals, but other readers will enjoy the simplicity of fewer words to convey a deeper meaning. At least one poem, “Under the Influence”, was penned as a longer poem that seemed like a one-sided conversation. The writing was fresh and free from any influence upon the writer. It could be seen as a refreshing change from pretty words meant to appeal to a certain market. Writer’s Block isn’t meant for zealous grammatists or immature readers. The ideas and language expressed in the pages are better for more experienced readers who embrace thoughts and feelings with an open mind.

Johnny

With such classics as 'Here I sit... all broken hearted...' - audiences can only imagine where this is going. I give 5-stars for audacity.... but disagree that the author doesn't 'Give a $#!+!"