The Incense(d) Heart By Maha Zimmo

“The Incense(d) Heart”

not another poetry collection

indeed another poetry collection

By Maha Zimmo

94 pages

ISBN: 978-81-8253-700-2

Cyberwit

www.cyberwit.net

Copyright 2020

Review by LB Sedlacek

Although the subtitles of this new poetry collection from Maha Zimmo might indicate a very light fluffy book of poems, this is exactly a book of poetry that is not anywhere near greeting card verse sweetness.  The poems herein are untitled, but contain a last line that gives you an idea and feel of what the poem’s meaning was sort of like a hashtag or categorization.  It could detract from the poem, but it does not – it adds to it.  This style of poem classification I’ve noticed is often used on social media.  More and more often, a lot of big poets have become just that from their online presence and posts.

 

I am unaware of Zimmo’s social media, but she may be one such poet or not.  Her poems are serious and often touch on social, gender and cultural injustices. 

Lines from Page 27:

“be careful what you look for

in case

you see what isn’t there

just to prove you were right

to look for it in the first place.”

 

Sample of one of the end lines, Page 29:

“- burn your magazines | us, beautiful ghouls”

 

These poems are a celebration of Zimmo’s writing strengths.  Her lines are suspenseful catapulting the reader into thoughtful action.  This is high-octane poetry because you can’t simply read it and forget it – the poems are going to seep into your brain.  Each page stands on its own, but yet they all seem to weave together with a clarity of voice.

From Page 49:

“footsteps like rose-petals

you stepped out from shadow

smiled

and i saw moonlight

festival of lights

all lanterns’ glow moisten your hair.”

The tag line for this poem is:  “- the (missing) magician”

 

The poems in this collection are gripping but sometimes dizzying because you don’t know where the lines will take you until you get to the end of the poem.  And that is the best kind of poetry and poems because you as a reader should not want to know the ending before the poem begins.  Her poems are thrilling, compassionate and insightful.

Poems like these make you want to meet the author and sit down for a cup of tea to discuss everything that’s inside each poem.  These are poems you will soon not forget.

Lines from Page 54:

“you are choking

raging through salt-water.”

This poem is about being lost at sea, or so the tag line says.  It’s a perfect mix of love and hate, war and peace with poems you will hang onto from page to page.

This is Zimmo’s second collection of poems.  Her first book was entitled “rose-water syrup” and was published in 2019.

~LB Sedlacek is the author of the poetry collections “I’m No ROBOT,” “Words and Bones,” “Simultaneous Submissions,” “The Adventures of Stick People on Cars,” and “The Poet Next Door.”  Her first short story collection came out last year entitled “Four Thieves of Vinegar & Other Short Stories.”  Her mystery novel “The Glass River” was nominated for the Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award.  She writes poetry reviews for “The Poetry Market Ezine” www.thepoetrymarket.com  You can find out more about her at www.lbsedlacek.com

https://www.amazon.com/incense-d-heart-Maha-Zimmo/dp/8182537002