Review: Christen Chorba

Review: Christen Chorba
A Diminishing Season
This poem offered an unexpected perspective on a season that I, too, am not overly fond of, “that it was never winter that I didn’t favor, But our desire to subdue its beauty.” Just as you say, instead of accommodating and acclimating to nature, we distort and disfigure it to meet our needs. There are some strong contrasts in this poem, “blanketed by white/flashing lights and oversized trucks and plows,” that reinforce the man vs. nature theme. I liked the alliteration of “chemical concoctions” and the image that it evoked. I loved the line, “the sky and ground impersonate one another.” To me, this poem feels like winter. Suggestion: change “one another” to “each other”?

This is Manhattan
Strong words emphasize the dichotomy of wealth and poverty in this poem. The images of wealth, “Bistros, boutiques, town cars and Chanel suits,” juxtaposed to the images of poverty, “…everyday people are Exhausted and Underpaid, the scent of urine and cigarettes,” work well. The line “And the New York City skyline Of expensive Chanel suits” created a strong visual image that offers a fresh perspective from the usual image of bricks and buildings. My favorite line in this poem is, “The truth wears its disguise well.” Suggestion: I would consider omitting the word severely from “severely selective,” I think that line makes its point strongly, yet subtly, without it. Maybe another word choice for “repulsive”?