I call it a Kaiser Blade

The first poem I'm going to review is 11 A.M. Wednesday, August 24, 2005.

I assume it's called this because that's when the author first heard the news that a certain unnamed tropical depression had been upgraded to Hurricane Katrina. It's a pretty simple poem with dramatic spacing that is used to heighten the feeling of impending doom. What I really liked what when she revered to the name of the storm as a weapon calling it a "crisp, bladed noun". I think that it gives the hurricane sinister qualities without trying to overload if with negative adjectives. It is simple and succinct- qualities that hold stark contrast against the actual hurricane. When I read that I immediately thought of the short film "Some Folks Call it a Sling Blade" not because of the content of the short film or the poem, but because a blade is such a memorable item. To me, the word "blade" has some very gruesome connotations, especially in when the context isn't associated to hockey or Thanksgiving dinner, and this poem capitalized on that making the name of the hurricane seem like a dangerous object that can do great harm.

The second poem I am reviewing is 7 P.M. Thursday August 25th, 2005. It is a short poem that has a kind of strange structure. It is written in two columns and looks like a pair of pillars on the page. I think it is from the view of the Hurricane and it talks about what the hurricane sees and feels and desires and ends with Smith writing (from the perspective of the hurricane) "and want it / all". I think that this is the view of the Hurricane by her and the people whom it affected - them believing that the hurricane was a sentient force that was demoniacally ruining their lives and enjoying it, an entity with an insatiable urge for destruction. I don't really agree with that because, while I understand this is writing and the author takes liberties to explain the feelings of the people, it was just a hurricane and it did not intentionally destroy homes. To feel that a weather system could gain satisfaction from any action is ludicrous and it takes away from the personal responsibility of those harmed by the hurricane. If the hurricane has thoughts and desires, then the people affected by it can claim they were helpless to higher forces and while the poetic language may be used effectively to prove a point, I completely disagree with that point.