M Archive

"but who would suggest an origin for light, except blackness" (11)

My strengths do not lie in poetry, I fully acknowledge that fact. For this reason, I think I avoid poetry more than I should. I am always worried that I will not understand what the author is trying to tell me, and that the words will evaporate from my memory the moment I turn the page.

However, reading M Archive by Alexis Pauline Gumbs was a different experience altogether, and may have made me more courageous in my relationship with poetry collections.

Emotional, Historical, Personal

How do I explain M Archive? On the back of my copy, the summary states that it "is a series of poetic artifacts that speculatively documents the persistence of Black life following a worldwide cataclysm." All at once, this collection is science-fiction, poetry and a reflection on Black feminist theory. With every page turned, Gumbs will have you considering what a body is and the history that one body can encapsulate. Perhaps this seems like a large undertaking, but Gumbs was beyond successful in doing this.

Some poems triggered more of an emotional response than others, and yes, there were tears. I cannot guarantee that everyone will have this response, but I do believe that the way in which Gumbs writes has the potential to reach a vast, diverse audience, and for this reason, her book is special.

Without a doubt, this book deserves 5 stars...I have asked for the other books she has written for Christmas, so I hope that Santa believes I deserve them (fingers crossed)!

Thank you for this beautiful collection, Alexis Pauline Gumbs! Lots of love, the Opinionated Bookworm.

To share thoughts or request a review, please comment below, or email me (theopinionatedbookworm@gmail.com) or follow me on Instagram (@theopinionatedbookworm1).

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