For regular readers of my blog, you will know that when it comes to contemporary poetry, I’m not the biggest of fans. However, a poetry collection that is called Witchcraft and Monsters? I am here for it. When I saw the cover, I requested it immediately. I didn’t even know that it was poetry, I didn’t even read the blurb… I just… well… requested it. And I’m so glad that I did.

If there’s anything Kala knows, it’s monsters.
Witchcraft and Monsters is a debut poetry collection by Kala Godin.

Kala understands that the human body can be its own kind of monster. She knows the way strangers both see her and don’t.
There is magic in everything we do.
And there are monsters in each of us.

This collection is broken into five main parts: witchcraft, fairytales, bodies, bad ideas, and endings. Now, the book is only 53 pages long, so each section is very short. The section that packed the biggest punch for me was ‘Witchcraft’. It was the section where I could relate to the most poems. There were a few other poems throughout the collection where I could relate but the aforementioned section was my favourite.

 

“I keep

Raising the dead,

Like it’s going out of style.

Rise dead feelings,

Dead issues,

Dead ideas…”

– Kala Godin, Witchcraft and Monsters

 

The thing that I liked the most about this book was that it was darker than most contemporary poetry that I’ve read. I liked the references to Greek Gods, to the devil… Just dark stuff in general. It was definitely speaking to my high school emo side *cue nervous laugher here*. Okay, I’m still kinda in that stage.

Usually, the lack of rhyming is an issue for me. I kind of like the old school style of poetry more where it’s got a rhyming scheme, but that might just be because that’s the only poetry that I’ve read my entire life due to the stupid English curriculum in the U.K. ANNNNYYWWAAAYYY, I digress. Like I said, lack of rhyming is usually an issue, but in Witchcraft and Monsters, it didn’t bother me. I liked the rhythm of the poems.

 

“They tell me

I’m more witchcraft than girl.

More wolf than woman.

Like it’s a bad thing

To be the predator,

And not the prey.

– Kala Godin, Witchcraft and Monsters

 

Overall, I actually really enjoyed this short collection of poetry, which surprised me (in a good way. I’m still going to say that contemporary poetry isn’t my most favourite type of poetry, but I am learning to look at poetry as texts that you don’t have to consume all in one go. They are collections that you can keep going back to whenever you’re in a different mood, or a different time in your life.

Disclaimer: this book was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

 

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