Carol Guess

"You close the door and tell me to holler if I need anything. I howl and howl and howl."

The raw and dare I say reckless ache in these lines speaks immediately akin to the gut-wrenching poetry in Richard Siken's Crush, though deeply entrenched in the tender violence of womanhood, the storied language that beats within my chest, an experience of life that mirrors what i often feel for myself. It goes without saying, but I found The Reckless Remained deeply relatable, deeply resonant, and show more deeply skillful in its invocation and evocation both.

This short, co-written collection is a perfect example of the type of experimental hybrid prose I am always eagerly seeking out. Bold and unafraid to demand the reader's attention and understanding, Guess and Magee have created a weaving narrative that unfolds in slight snippets, connected or unconnected, it is anyone's guess. From the writing, it could be either, and yet it hardly matters. The vivacity of these slices-of-life, the dexterity of the language, the unwavering command of the description; all work in tandem to create a short and simple masterpiece.

The unique appeal lies too in the hints of equal parts fable and folklore tucked between stark and often strange combinations of words.
"Salt in my coffee, silver stake in the forsythia: you're winged on Thursday, looking for prey. I'm a mouse, a three-toed worm. Swoop or swoon? You eye me from your island, carry me tilted to a lair spun from hair."
Striking imagery and fable-esque narrative draw these visions unique, pair this language with a vibrant emotional response that urges the reader deeper into the pages and leaves them breathless when, in too short a time, they discover they have reached the end.

Overall, I was in love with this collection and eternally grateful for the collaboration between these two incredibly talented writers/poets, and this tiny piece of wonder will surely be my motivation to seek out everything else they've written. Highly recommended for fans of Richard Siken and for readers of lit mags like Lammergier, Neon Hemlock, Scrawl Place, and Sword & Kettle Press, to name a few.

"When we meet, I see how I'll lose you." show less