Review of "Melancholic Muse" by May Garner
- Megan Diedericks
- Mar 28
- 1 min read
I don't think I've ever encountered a poetry collection that was as perfectly titled as Melancholic Muse is.
From the get-go, May Garner's poetry wraps its ink-stained talons around your heart and doesn't let up. Even after you finish the final piece, those claws are still digging in deeper.
I am a huge fan of Garner's writing, and after the experience that was her first collection (Withered Rising), I couldn't wait to get my hands on this one. It didn't disappoint!
She doesn't sugarcoat her honesty even a little. There are many (if not all!) poems I could reference to emphasize my point, but lines that immediately come to mind are these, from DECEMBER HOTLINE:
"where any joy has deflated into dust
and the air hangs on the same rope as my father."
I could go on and on forever about how much I love this book, but that would mean too much time is wasted on reading my review, instead of Melancholic Muse!!!
I will leave you with one final thought, something I realized before I even reached the last page:
This is the type of book you hand to someone if they ask you about all the things you don't—can't—say out loud.
