The Virginia State Colony for Epileptics and Feebleminded: Poems

Brown has an amazing ability to delve deep into the realness of the dark-sided world and, more importantly, the people of this horrific place. While none of the poems try to be authoritatively factual about the facility, she writes very truthfully about the things that happened and the way these people who were being kept away from society as though they were monsters FELT. None of the characters dreamt up on the Forced Sterilization forms might have been real people, but it does not mean that they didn't feel exactly as she describes. Her imagery is fantastic and heartbreaking, all the while making you believe the pain and heartbreak of losing something you cannot get back. "The Convulsions Choir" (p. 40-42) is probably my favorite show more poem in the collection.

"I make an outside world
of the space between
my bones.

They did not build
the church
for us.

But they leave us
alone inside it,
bar the door."
(p.42) - Molly McCully Brown show less

Stunning. It seems like a "star" rating just has no applicability in this case. Honestly? I feel as though I missed quite a bit and therefore, rating it a "5," makes me feel like a poser. But that doesn't man that I cannot appreciate the beauty of the craft. Incredible that this work was a debut. How could this even have been imagined? Full of admiration for this wide open, raw presentation.

Very, very good. Haunting yet stunning. One of my favorites of the year. Full review to follow.

beautifully written but heartbreaking to read

Beautiful, haunting.