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White Knuckle
White Knuckle is Steven Bruce's poignant debut poetry collection, providing a stark autobiographical account of growing up in a poverty-stricken, drug-ridden and violent environment.
This book is a powerful and essential read, depicting a childhood marked by brutal realities, tragedy, and early abandonment.
Winner of the 2022 Literary Titan Gold Book Award
Recipient of the Indies Today Five-Star Recommendation Badge
Runner-Up for the 2021 Indies Today Poetry Book Award
Finalist for the 2021 Wishing Shelf Non-fiction Book Award
Shortlisted for the 2021 International Poetry Book Award
Praise for White Knuckle
One of the most authentic autobiographies told in verse.
— Steve Quade, Indies Today
★★★★★
This is a landmark debut book from Steven Bruce.
— Andy Willoughby, Poet and Lecturer
★★★★★
One of the best new books of poetry I’ve read hands down.
— Matt Wall, Poetic Anarchy Press
★★★★★
This book is a powerful and essential read, depicting a childhood marked by brutal realities, tragedy, and early abandonment.
Winner of the 2022 Literary Titan Gold Book Award
Recipient of the Indies Today Five-Star Recommendation Badge
Runner-Up for the 2021 Indies Today Poetry Book Award
Finalist for the 2021 Wishing Shelf Non-fiction Book Award
Shortlisted for the 2021 International Poetry Book Award
Praise for White Knuckle
One of the most authentic autobiographies told in verse.
— Steve Quade, Indies Today
★★★★★
This is a landmark debut book from Steven Bruce.
— Andy Willoughby, Poet and Lecturer
★★★★★
One of the best new books of poetry I’ve read hands down.
— Matt Wall, Poetic Anarchy Press
★★★★★
- GenresPoetryNonfiction
100 pages, Paperback
First published August 30, 2020
16 people are currently reading
1513 people want to read
About the author
Steven Bruce
7 books325 followersSteven Bruce is a multiple award-winning author. His poetry and short stories have appeared in numerous international anthologies and magazines. In 2018, he graduated from Teesside University with a Master of Arts in Creative Writing. His work often explores themes of trauma and resilience. Born in England, Steven now resides and writes full-time in Poland.
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www.stevenbrucewriter.co.uk
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www.stevenbrucewriter.co.uk
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 172 reviews
January 1, 2025
I don't much care for poetry when it's all flowery nonsense. When it reads with an air of pompousness and pretension. But this collection by Steven Bruce is raw, brutal and pulls no punches.
Throughout the 80ish pages, we glimpse again and again into a world of poverty and violence, where drugs and alcohol are permanent fixtures but a loving home is not.
Some of my absolute favourites in here were the poems that juxtaposed the horrific with the ordinary. For example, in 'About My Father' Bruce explains a series of monstrous things his father did, then rounds it off with the absolutely gut punching revelation
- 'As a child, he suffered abuse,
my grandmother said she spoiled him rotten.'
In the context of doctors calling the father a psychopath, and the violence he committed, this sentence just knocks the air out of you. I had to instantly reread the poem.
Another favourite for similar reasons is 'Failing'. This poem pops up a bit further into the book (which is an almost linear revelation of Bruce's childhood, from neglectful and abusive parents, to homelessness, into foster care and beyond) 'Failing' describes wandering the streets, going hungry for days, fights and wounds and finding a place to rest under a bridge. It's rounded off with
- 'School report card tucked inside my pocket,
it says I must try harder.'
It's this straight to the bone, no nonsense delivery that shows the weight and gravitas of these every day, normal occurrences for Bruce, that are neither normal nor any day situations for the majority.
During 'Dear Mother' my eyes started to get a bit sparkly, and I'm not afraid to admit that those sparkles turned to fully fledged tears when reading 'A Letter To My Young Self'.
- ' The only hands that will save you are your own.
And because nobody ever tells you this, I must.
Your life is worth saving.'
This is a fantastic, albeit heavy and emotional collection that should be read by anyone who can do so (content warnings for - alcohol and drug abuse, child neglect & abuse, suicide, homelessness, violence)
'We are not the ashes of our past
but embers burning towards a future fire' - Standpoint
review copy.
Throughout the 80ish pages, we glimpse again and again into a world of poverty and violence, where drugs and alcohol are permanent fixtures but a loving home is not.
Some of my absolute favourites in here were the poems that juxtaposed the horrific with the ordinary. For example, in 'About My Father' Bruce explains a series of monstrous things his father did, then rounds it off with the absolutely gut punching revelation
- 'As a child, he suffered abuse,
my grandmother said she spoiled him rotten.'
In the context of doctors calling the father a psychopath, and the violence he committed, this sentence just knocks the air out of you. I had to instantly reread the poem.
Another favourite for similar reasons is 'Failing'. This poem pops up a bit further into the book (which is an almost linear revelation of Bruce's childhood, from neglectful and abusive parents, to homelessness, into foster care and beyond) 'Failing' describes wandering the streets, going hungry for days, fights and wounds and finding a place to rest under a bridge. It's rounded off with
- 'School report card tucked inside my pocket,
it says I must try harder.'
It's this straight to the bone, no nonsense delivery that shows the weight and gravitas of these every day, normal occurrences for Bruce, that are neither normal nor any day situations for the majority.
During 'Dear Mother' my eyes started to get a bit sparkly, and I'm not afraid to admit that those sparkles turned to fully fledged tears when reading 'A Letter To My Young Self'.
- ' The only hands that will save you are your own.
And because nobody ever tells you this, I must.
Your life is worth saving.'
This is a fantastic, albeit heavy and emotional collection that should be read by anyone who can do so (content warnings for - alcohol and drug abuse, child neglect & abuse, suicide, homelessness, violence)
'We are not the ashes of our past
but embers burning towards a future fire' - Standpoint
review copy.
December 2, 2020
I took a chance on this book after it was recommended to me by a close friend and boy am I glad I did!
Steven Bruce’s White Knuckle throws us into a world so dark-I dare say not many of us would make it out alive, never mind to be able to articulate it in such a refined and unflinchingly honest way.
The collection is rooted in the author’s own personal Childhood history. Growing up in a landscape of violence, abuse, abandonment, and drug addicted parents. We are taken on a white knuckle ride of emotions through simple candid descriptions. You don’t only read these poems-you feel them reaching into the pit of your stomach.
Bruce leaves nothing out here. He delves into the darkest parts of himself and carefully carves his entire truth onto the page. One such line that still gives me chills “I was a mistake or child benefit.”
The poem to his mother brought me to tears, and the short stoic poem that followed took my breath away. “Strength comes, not in the grip, but the opening of the hand.”
It is so rare to come across an author with such clarity and one who can cut you down to the bone with words.
I absolutely loved this book! Poetry at its most valuable!
Steven Bruce’s White Knuckle throws us into a world so dark-I dare say not many of us would make it out alive, never mind to be able to articulate it in such a refined and unflinchingly honest way.
The collection is rooted in the author’s own personal Childhood history. Growing up in a landscape of violence, abuse, abandonment, and drug addicted parents. We are taken on a white knuckle ride of emotions through simple candid descriptions. You don’t only read these poems-you feel them reaching into the pit of your stomach.
Bruce leaves nothing out here. He delves into the darkest parts of himself and carefully carves his entire truth onto the page. One such line that still gives me chills “I was a mistake or child benefit.”
The poem to his mother brought me to tears, and the short stoic poem that followed took my breath away. “Strength comes, not in the grip, but the opening of the hand.”
It is so rare to come across an author with such clarity and one who can cut you down to the bone with words.
I absolutely loved this book! Poetry at its most valuable!
January 12, 2021
This is one of my favourite collections of poetry to date.
White Knuckle is an overwhelmingly good collection. The use of enjambment here is impeccable, giving the entire collection a cadence akin to that of a march through the author’s own personal underworld.
These courageous poems possess an unflinching realism, as desperation and heartache peek out at you from between each meticulously crafted line.
If I had to pick a favourite from thIs collection, it would have to be Cars. The final line broke me!
This is one of those books that deserves your time, don’t rush, even though it is so good that it calls for you to blaze through it.
“Strength comes, not in the grip, but the opening of the hand.”
Highly recommend!
O.G. at The Book Nook Review
White Knuckle is an overwhelmingly good collection. The use of enjambment here is impeccable, giving the entire collection a cadence akin to that of a march through the author’s own personal underworld.
These courageous poems possess an unflinching realism, as desperation and heartache peek out at you from between each meticulously crafted line.
If I had to pick a favourite from thIs collection, it would have to be Cars. The final line broke me!
This is one of those books that deserves your time, don’t rush, even though it is so good that it calls for you to blaze through it.
“Strength comes, not in the grip, but the opening of the hand.”
Highly recommend!
O.G. at The Book Nook Review
January 9, 2021
Isn't it fantastic when you find a book that completely drags you in and demands that you sit on the edge of your seat for every horrific, nail-biting, tear-jerking turn of the page?
This is one of those books!
This is one of those books!
November 24, 2020
White Knuckle by Steven Bruce is a powerful and vivid collection of poetry that explores the emotional impact of grief, loss, addiction, depression, and anxiety. Each poem is a raw and honest personal view of the modern reality. White Knuckle is a unique journey into a usual family; the whole book is based on the author's personal experiences. Many poems are like the bottomless well of pain, but some of them are still spreading hope. The writing is profound, ruminating, full of suffocating feelings. You can feel the writer's emotions pouring out onto the page. My heart aches with every poem in this book.
My favorite poems are The Adults Here Are Ornamental, Kiss, Wisdom from a Working Girl, A Letter to My Young Self. The book is for everyone. It will transform your mindset and how you deal with anxiety, depression, and abuse. 100% recommending!
My favorite poems are The Adults Here Are Ornamental, Kiss, Wisdom from a Working Girl, A Letter to My Young Self. The book is for everyone. It will transform your mindset and how you deal with anxiety, depression, and abuse. 100% recommending!
September 28, 2020
To call this collection ‘dark’ or ‘bleak’ would be a complete reduction and would quite honestly feel disrespectful. This is reality, and how it is for some, whether you like it, or want to be aware of it, or not.
The acute distress and desperation contained in these pages is channeled honestly and boldly by a true survivor. It would be a disservice for any comfortably-living person to not be slapped in the face by several of these poems, if only for the valuable perspectives they provide.
This isn’t just a description of a volatile upbringing; thus us pure poetry crafted from white-knuckle experience and told with all the wit, awareness and honesty that any reader could hope for in a collection such as this. Buy it and get a dose of real life.
The acute distress and desperation contained in these pages is channeled honestly and boldly by a true survivor. It would be a disservice for any comfortably-living person to not be slapped in the face by several of these poems, if only for the valuable perspectives they provide.
This isn’t just a description of a volatile upbringing; thus us pure poetry crafted from white-knuckle experience and told with all the wit, awareness and honesty that any reader could hope for in a collection such as this. Buy it and get a dose of real life.
January 1, 2021
Raw, brutal and honest.
These poems drag us from our comfort zone and suddenly throw to a rollercoaster of emotions. The highs and lows are filled with misery. There is no middle ground. The suffering is real. The unpolished edges of these words will scratch our mind. This is an in-depth essay unravelling through complex human emotions. Their beauty lies in their unadulterated voice. We can feel the white knuckle against our face in each poem. It hurts because it is meant to be.
Broken dreams, pain, anger, abuse, frustration, death, greed, hunger… everything is poured through words. But these are not like any other poems. Because amidst this crushing pain, they all have one common feature- a hidden sense of survival. These are not served with the sugar-coating of hope. Rather, they all have a pinch of survival instinct in every line.
Pain is the greatest lesson. We don’t remember happiness but we remember every pain we had. It opens a new path for redemption. We can witness that redemption here.
These poems drag us from our comfort zone and suddenly throw to a rollercoaster of emotions. The highs and lows are filled with misery. There is no middle ground. The suffering is real. The unpolished edges of these words will scratch our mind. This is an in-depth essay unravelling through complex human emotions. Their beauty lies in their unadulterated voice. We can feel the white knuckle against our face in each poem. It hurts because it is meant to be.
Broken dreams, pain, anger, abuse, frustration, death, greed, hunger… everything is poured through words. But these are not like any other poems. Because amidst this crushing pain, they all have one common feature- a hidden sense of survival. These are not served with the sugar-coating of hope. Rather, they all have a pinch of survival instinct in every line.
Pain is the greatest lesson. We don’t remember happiness but we remember every pain we had. It opens a new path for redemption. We can witness that redemption here.
October 20, 2020
A no-frills, candid collection, White Knuckle doesn't shy away from harsh realities and that is what makes it so effective. Poetry is about putting the very essence of emotion into words and allowing others to feel and understand the most profound things, in this regard Bruce performs flawlessly. Here, he takes the reader on a painful but transformative journey, plumbing the depths of these dark memories. This is raw but this is real, this is the kind of writing you grow from, highly recommended by me.
November 25, 2020
Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All of the opinions are my own and this did not affect my review in any way.
“Our scars are testament that we arrived at the battle”
When I was approached by the author to read and review his debut poetry collection I wasn’t expecting to be blown away like I was. This is one of the most raw, honest and overall best poetry collection I have ever read.
White Knuckle is a concise exposé of a severe childhood experience and we follow the author as he tells us about his life, the good and bad.
This is a really short collection, only around 80 pages, however, in those 80 pages the author manages to portray what it’s like to live in a world of violence, drugs, abuse and lack of love.
I am no into pretentious poetry, I don’t enjoy having to sit and think about the meaning of it all with each poem and I think one of the things I enjoyed the most about this collection is that it manages to portray so much emotion without being pretentious. The writing is simple but it packs a punch. You will understand the meaning of everything and still be drawn to tears by the end of it.
What I appreciated the most about this collection is that it doesn’t exaggerate the events for shock value. The author tells his true story the way it is not because he´s looking for compassion, but because he wants to tell his story and in the end you cant end up feeling for what the author went through.
The writing is raw, real and hard hitting. This is the kind of writing that you learn something from and by the end of it, I was crying my eyes out, especially with the authors note at the end (a most read in my opinion).
This collection is an emotional roller coaster, you experience all sort of emotions in such a short period of time, but in my opinion this collection should be a must read for everyone.
Overall I am beyond happy I read this collection. This powerful book is brutal, tragic, and moving: an essential read.
“It is not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters”
“Our scars are testament that we arrived at the battle”
When I was approached by the author to read and review his debut poetry collection I wasn’t expecting to be blown away like I was. This is one of the most raw, honest and overall best poetry collection I have ever read.
White Knuckle is a concise exposé of a severe childhood experience and we follow the author as he tells us about his life, the good and bad.
This is a really short collection, only around 80 pages, however, in those 80 pages the author manages to portray what it’s like to live in a world of violence, drugs, abuse and lack of love.
I am no into pretentious poetry, I don’t enjoy having to sit and think about the meaning of it all with each poem and I think one of the things I enjoyed the most about this collection is that it manages to portray so much emotion without being pretentious. The writing is simple but it packs a punch. You will understand the meaning of everything and still be drawn to tears by the end of it.
What I appreciated the most about this collection is that it doesn’t exaggerate the events for shock value. The author tells his true story the way it is not because he´s looking for compassion, but because he wants to tell his story and in the end you cant end up feeling for what the author went through.
The writing is raw, real and hard hitting. This is the kind of writing that you learn something from and by the end of it, I was crying my eyes out, especially with the authors note at the end (a most read in my opinion).
This collection is an emotional roller coaster, you experience all sort of emotions in such a short period of time, but in my opinion this collection should be a must read for everyone.
Overall I am beyond happy I read this collection. This powerful book is brutal, tragic, and moving: an essential read.
“It is not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters”
September 17, 2020
I read it in one go!
Although poetry is not usually my first choice, I do enjoy reading about social issues, specifically about people dealing with depression. The White Knuckle's poems are written in clear and accessible language, and at the same time, they are demonstrating a solid technical and powerful language skills. The content deals with significant social issues such as domestic violence, homelessness, and severe depression from a very early age. However, these poems do not look for compassion. They just tell you what happened without unnecessary exaggeration, which makes it easy to read. The reader is required neither to sympathize nor explain, which allows you to react naturally to its content. Additionally, there is nothing self-indulgent about this collection. It demonstrates control of the writer now reflecting back. There are a few very powerful quotes in this book that will also stay with me for a long time. It's eye-opening, and oddly enough, gives hope at the end of it, hope for a better future despite anything that happened in the past. This book is for everyone, strongly recommend reading. I also recommend reading it with classical music in the background, it makes the experience even more powerful.
Although poetry is not usually my first choice, I do enjoy reading about social issues, specifically about people dealing with depression. The White Knuckle's poems are written in clear and accessible language, and at the same time, they are demonstrating a solid technical and powerful language skills. The content deals with significant social issues such as domestic violence, homelessness, and severe depression from a very early age. However, these poems do not look for compassion. They just tell you what happened without unnecessary exaggeration, which makes it easy to read. The reader is required neither to sympathize nor explain, which allows you to react naturally to its content. Additionally, there is nothing self-indulgent about this collection. It demonstrates control of the writer now reflecting back. There are a few very powerful quotes in this book that will also stay with me for a long time. It's eye-opening, and oddly enough, gives hope at the end of it, hope for a better future despite anything that happened in the past. This book is for everyone, strongly recommend reading. I also recommend reading it with classical music in the background, it makes the experience even more powerful.
February 6, 2021
It is extremely rare to find a poetry collection that moves you as much as this one.
I was tempted to describe this powerful book as a collection of snapshot poems, but they are much more like works of art painted in vivid colors of violence and heartache.
Brilliant!
White Knuckle
“How tight they cling to their addictions,
knuckle moons, enough to lose hold
of their children.”
-Steven Bruce, White Knuckle
I was tempted to describe this powerful book as a collection of snapshot poems, but they are much more like works of art painted in vivid colors of violence and heartache.
Brilliant!
White Knuckle
“How tight they cling to their addictions,
knuckle moons, enough to lose hold
of their children.”
-Steven Bruce, White Knuckle
February 17, 2021
A truly amazing read!
Such depth of feeling in every line.
Utterly tragic, yet somehow uplifting, to know that the author survived, against all the odds, to adulthood.
This should be required reading in every senior school. A story to inspire young people.
Such depth of feeling in every line.
Utterly tragic, yet somehow uplifting, to know that the author survived, against all the odds, to adulthood.
This should be required reading in every senior school. A story to inspire young people.
November 24, 2020
The author is so talented with his words... This poetry book is a must-read! Loved it!
November 24, 2020
I blazed through reading White Knuckles by Steven Bruce in a single night - it was genuinely such a compelling read... The author's words are incredibly courageous and brave, baring the heart with refreshing candor and genuine honesty. His words are times coated in the pain of late-nights, hunger, addiction, abuse, broken families, life-altering decisions…
Steven Bruce does what so many of us shy away from doing: he peels away his layers, sheds any hint of deception, and opens his veins to bleed his truth on the page through his poetry. Wonderful collection!
Steven Bruce does what so many of us shy away from doing: he peels away his layers, sheds any hint of deception, and opens his veins to bleed his truth on the page through his poetry. Wonderful collection!
February 17, 2021
This is a short book of heart wrenching, autobiographical poems about the author's childhood, in a neglectful, drug addicted home. I found myself slowing right down, and even stopping between the poems, to absorb the enormity of each scene Steven described. The poems are easy to understand, as well as haunting, powerful and potent. This is a book I will need to re-read to allow myself to feel the full weight of the author's childhood and pain. Thank you for sharing your poems and life with us.
February 19, 2021
I spotted this book being talked about in a Facebook group so I decided to pick it up on kindle.
I did not expect it to be as great as it was. I’ve read a lot of poetry over the years through school and university but I have never seen such refinement and clarity. The topics discussed in this collection are of a tragic and personal nature but I could not help but notice a simplicity that is both brave and refreshing.
I have been waiting for a collection like this for some time. Substance over style. Something that isn’t pretentious. Something that feeds the soul.
The author has given us something extremely precious here. I have already ordered my paperback copy!
I did not expect it to be as great as it was. I’ve read a lot of poetry over the years through school and university but I have never seen such refinement and clarity. The topics discussed in this collection are of a tragic and personal nature but I could not help but notice a simplicity that is both brave and refreshing.
I have been waiting for a collection like this for some time. Substance over style. Something that isn’t pretentious. Something that feeds the soul.
The author has given us something extremely precious here. I have already ordered my paperback copy!
April 6, 2021
Unlike most poets, Bruce has the guts to speak it plain. These are unpretentious and vivid poems that are truly effective and will make you feel more alive and more human!
Beyond that, the collection is seriously well-crafted! These are more than your average poems, the author has carved a piece of himself out for the sake of others. Loved it!!!
Beyond that, the collection is seriously well-crafted! These are more than your average poems, the author has carved a piece of himself out for the sake of others. Loved it!!!
October 7, 2020
I read it in one go!
Although poetry is not usually my first choice, I do enjoy reading about social issues, specifically about people dealing with depression. The White Knuckle's poems are written in clear and accessible language, and at the same time, they are demonstrating a solid technical and powerful language skills. The content deals with significant social issues such as domestic violence, homelessness, and severe depression from a very early age. However, these poems do not look for compassion. They just tell you what happened without unnecessary exaggeration, which makes it easy to read. The reader is required neither to sympathize nor explain, which allows you to react naturally to its content. Additionally, there is nothing self-indulgent about this collection. It demonstrates control of the writer now reflecting back. There are a few very powerful quotes in this book that will also stay with me for a long time. It's eye-opening, and oddly enough, gives hope at the end of it, hope for a better future despite anything that happened in the past. This book is for everyone, strongly recommend reading. I also recommend reading it with classical music in the background, it makes the experience even more powerful.
Although poetry is not usually my first choice, I do enjoy reading about social issues, specifically about people dealing with depression. The White Knuckle's poems are written in clear and accessible language, and at the same time, they are demonstrating a solid technical and powerful language skills. The content deals with significant social issues such as domestic violence, homelessness, and severe depression from a very early age. However, these poems do not look for compassion. They just tell you what happened without unnecessary exaggeration, which makes it easy to read. The reader is required neither to sympathize nor explain, which allows you to react naturally to its content. Additionally, there is nothing self-indulgent about this collection. It demonstrates control of the writer now reflecting back. There are a few very powerful quotes in this book that will also stay with me for a long time. It's eye-opening, and oddly enough, gives hope at the end of it, hope for a better future despite anything that happened in the past. This book is for everyone, strongly recommend reading. I also recommend reading it with classical music in the background, it makes the experience even more powerful.
March 23, 2021
A brutally honest book of freeverse poetry, which will appeal to fans of poets like Ken Arkind, Charles Bukowski, Andrea Gibson and JM Ritch. An intimate, harsh, and utterly raw depiction of growing up around poverty, abuse and addiction.
November 24, 2020
Brilliant poetry book! Would highly recommend it to all fighting grief, loss, hate, abuse, and addiction.
April 16, 2021
I read this through Kindle Unlimited. Poetry is so beautiful! Reading this book I was very impressed, and it was entirely worth it for sure. The poetry showed so much emotion that I was addicted to it! The poems are showing real-life issues, and being able to understand them in such an amazing way. Well done to the author, and keep on with writing poetry!
August 23, 2021
The poetry is highly poignant as it speaks about the tribulations the poet had faced in childhood and the trauma he was struck with , every line is so pure and honest , that it gives you goosebumps. The reader gets lost with poet's journey as it is deeply emotional too and strikes the heart. Exceptionally well penned.
August 4, 2021
It’s usually fairly safe for authors to put some of their everyday life experiences into their work; I do it myself. Some of the information which goes in, however, needs bravery on a sliding scale, and I would put author of White Knuckle Steven Bruce at the top for this collection of poems dealing with the traumas of his first sixteen years of life. He admits himself, in the Acknowledgements section at the back of the book, that the writing was for him a painful, if ultimately cathartic and liberating, experience for him.
Usually when I review poetry I name and quote from my favourites; however, it seems inappropriate to speak of enjoyment, or of having been entertained, with a collection such as this. I will concentrate on the language used, and the manner in which is used. The title of the collection, and the illustration of this, does not dispose the reader to think these poems happy one; but the titles of the early poems contradict this until the content contradicts them in turn. Nursing sounds harmless; but we do not usually associate such things with ‘drug and domestic … physical and emotional abuse’. We do not expect to hear that ‘the breast milk we swallow is rotten’ from the breast-fed child. Similarly, a Domestic Song ought not to consist of ‘Raised voices, vicious words … furniture breaking, police sirens’; a ‘madhouse symphony’, in fact. We’re beginning to get the idea by now, so a Domestic Dance where ‘They struggle, drag each other around the room … He grabs a handful of hair … (and) she scratches his tattooed face’.
So the abuse goes on, the child beaten, trying to care for his smaller brother while his mother sleeps off either drugs, or drink, or both; eating plain toast, ‘a dry bite of existence’. The Adults Here Are Ornamental applies to the collection in general, rather than just the poem to which it is title, and gives an idea of this child’s life. I won’t say more, you get the picture, and I don’t wish to cause the author further pain by recounting more of what he has lived. Yet he made it out somehow, through foster care to the streets to any number of undesirable places, as made plain in Sleep. A Letter to My Young Self, at the end of the book, charts his achievements, which are many. I salute him, and accord him my deepest respect; it would be a good idea for anyone, poetry fan or not, to read this and thereby offer him the same. Highly recommended and worthy of 10*; unfortunately 5* is the maximum I’m allowed to give.
Usually when I review poetry I name and quote from my favourites; however, it seems inappropriate to speak of enjoyment, or of having been entertained, with a collection such as this. I will concentrate on the language used, and the manner in which is used. The title of the collection, and the illustration of this, does not dispose the reader to think these poems happy one; but the titles of the early poems contradict this until the content contradicts them in turn. Nursing sounds harmless; but we do not usually associate such things with ‘drug and domestic … physical and emotional abuse’. We do not expect to hear that ‘the breast milk we swallow is rotten’ from the breast-fed child. Similarly, a Domestic Song ought not to consist of ‘Raised voices, vicious words … furniture breaking, police sirens’; a ‘madhouse symphony’, in fact. We’re beginning to get the idea by now, so a Domestic Dance where ‘They struggle, drag each other around the room … He grabs a handful of hair … (and) she scratches his tattooed face’.
So the abuse goes on, the child beaten, trying to care for his smaller brother while his mother sleeps off either drugs, or drink, or both; eating plain toast, ‘a dry bite of existence’. The Adults Here Are Ornamental applies to the collection in general, rather than just the poem to which it is title, and gives an idea of this child’s life. I won’t say more, you get the picture, and I don’t wish to cause the author further pain by recounting more of what he has lived. Yet he made it out somehow, through foster care to the streets to any number of undesirable places, as made plain in Sleep. A Letter to My Young Self, at the end of the book, charts his achievements, which are many. I salute him, and accord him my deepest respect; it would be a good idea for anyone, poetry fan or not, to read this and thereby offer him the same. Highly recommended and worthy of 10*; unfortunately 5* is the maximum I’m allowed to give.
June 18, 2021
Beautiful and hard-hitting yet hopeful
'Nursing' , the first poem, defines the mood of the collection, "Pushed from the womb/Into rat-infested squalor". 'A Domestic Dance' nudges the reader into how domestic violence is masked by mothers. 'Heat' juxtaposes the poet's meal with that of the dog and it is clear who has the better deal. 'From a Bathtub' is a stark comment on physical abuse, as seen in the lines, "Someday these wounds will heal, but for now, all you understand is the bleeding."
The poems in this book are hard-hitting, they tell a tale of childhood abuse and neglect. The poet writes of his existence thus: "(when you) get a slap, a punch, a kick in the gut, splashed with boiling kettle water, you know you exist." It is a terrible way to remind one of life, a kind of "I hurt, therefore I am."
Read the poems at your own pace. They cannot be devoured in one sitting though it is a short book. Let the words wrap themselves around your mind, and maybe, just maybe, you might feel a hint of the pain the poet-narrator experienced growing up.
Some lines are too beautiful not to mention :
"I’ve slept on wet grass. And one day, I’ll sleep beneath it"
I warmly recommend this book.
'Nursing' , the first poem, defines the mood of the collection, "Pushed from the womb/Into rat-infested squalor". 'A Domestic Dance' nudges the reader into how domestic violence is masked by mothers. 'Heat' juxtaposes the poet's meal with that of the dog and it is clear who has the better deal. 'From a Bathtub' is a stark comment on physical abuse, as seen in the lines, "Someday these wounds will heal, but for now, all you understand is the bleeding."
The poems in this book are hard-hitting, they tell a tale of childhood abuse and neglect. The poet writes of his existence thus: "(when you) get a slap, a punch, a kick in the gut, splashed with boiling kettle water, you know you exist." It is a terrible way to remind one of life, a kind of "I hurt, therefore I am."
Read the poems at your own pace. They cannot be devoured in one sitting though it is a short book. Let the words wrap themselves around your mind, and maybe, just maybe, you might feel a hint of the pain the poet-narrator experienced growing up.
Some lines are too beautiful not to mention :
"I’ve slept on wet grass. And one day, I’ll sleep beneath it"
I warmly recommend this book.
April 14, 2021
Don't Look Away
You won’t find any flowery phrases and sun-shining expressions in this book of free verse poems presented in chronological order the life of a poverty-stricken child living in heart-wrenching abusive conditions of neglect and squalor of the greatest need.
The author’s ability to draw in the reader with precise verb use seizes a reader by the collar and drags them along for a tour of poverty most are not willing to take. I kept rooting for the boy as I read along, hoping the next page would bring the slightest relief, a change in circumstance, or a sliver of hope.
Does the boy rise above and drag himself, albeit kicking and screaming, from beneath the yoke his family thrust upon him? Or does he succumb to the only way of life he’s been shown? You’ll have to read this incredible testament to this journey’s unlikely ending.
You won’t find any flowery phrases and sun-shining expressions in this book of free verse poems presented in chronological order the life of a poverty-stricken child living in heart-wrenching abusive conditions of neglect and squalor of the greatest need.
The author’s ability to draw in the reader with precise verb use seizes a reader by the collar and drags them along for a tour of poverty most are not willing to take. I kept rooting for the boy as I read along, hoping the next page would bring the slightest relief, a change in circumstance, or a sliver of hope.
Does the boy rise above and drag himself, albeit kicking and screaming, from beneath the yoke his family thrust upon him? Or does he succumb to the only way of life he’s been shown? You’ll have to read this incredible testament to this journey’s unlikely ending.
June 9, 2021
Dark, raw and real
The poetry in this book isn't for the faint of heart. It isn't romantic, flowery and pretty. It holds its own beauty in its honesty. These words for me truly make me feel it. Each lash, each hunger pang, each shattering of the authors heart. It's gritty and unyielding in its lack of shimmer. Very though provoking and I truly hope the author finds what he was looking for by writing these. I hope they bring catharsis to what can only be horrible memories of a lost childhood. Very intense, raw and utterly breathtaking. Wow. Just wow.
The poetry in this book isn't for the faint of heart. It isn't romantic, flowery and pretty. It holds its own beauty in its honesty. These words for me truly make me feel it. Each lash, each hunger pang, each shattering of the authors heart. It's gritty and unyielding in its lack of shimmer. Very though provoking and I truly hope the author finds what he was looking for by writing these. I hope they bring catharsis to what can only be horrible memories of a lost childhood. Very intense, raw and utterly breathtaking. Wow. Just wow.
July 26, 2021
A great but heart fetching set of poems
These poems gives you an intimate glimpse into little Stevie's life of squalor and despair. Growing up with many different types of abuse and neglect paints a picture what drugs, alcohol, and depression can look like to a young child. If there's one thing that I've learned from abuse is that it moulds into the person we are now. Does one learn and grow or simply follow the same pattern of destruction? What path will you take? I highly recommend this one!
These poems gives you an intimate glimpse into little Stevie's life of squalor and despair. Growing up with many different types of abuse and neglect paints a picture what drugs, alcohol, and depression can look like to a young child. If there's one thing that I've learned from abuse is that it moulds into the person we are now. Does one learn and grow or simply follow the same pattern of destruction? What path will you take? I highly recommend this one!
September 24, 2021
Awesome collections of Poetry
White Knuckle tells various stories of struggle, hardship, and lack of role model for a boy growing up without the presence of his father. The stanza in some the poems is deep. Great depth that fully paints the picture of what is going on.
White Knuckle tells various stories of struggle, hardship, and lack of role model for a boy growing up without the presence of his father. The stanza in some the poems is deep. Great depth that fully paints the picture of what is going on.
September 27, 2021
Interesting read
This is outside my usual genre -- I don't normally read poetry -- but it was understandable and gripping. An interesting insight into some darker topics. Worth the read!
This is outside my usual genre -- I don't normally read poetry -- but it was understandable and gripping. An interesting insight into some darker topics. Worth the read!
July 12, 2021
A powerful collection of poems. Bruce is a true master of imagery, emotion and words in his vivid, harrowing descriptions of his life.
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