Blood Sugar

In Blood Sugar by Nicole Blackman there are boundaries we cross as women everyday: mother, daughter, lover, professional and friend. Blood Sugar explores the cruel, the tragic, and humorous side of balancing power, femininity, motherhood and sexuality. Nicole Blackman's compilation of poetry illustrates a world of the modern misfit or the girl that doesn't quite follow the etiquette of society. She gives a voice to a new generation of women and girls that refused to be silenced. She gives a voice to anyone who has been hurt, betrayed, or just different. While reading her book there are times when her words feel like a blow to the stomach, or a calm before a storm. There are no details spared, no emotional stone left unturned. In her poem Brooklyn, Nicole Blackman eloquently describes how the aftermath of a former relationship can affect a present one, "and I don't care what you are because I'll make you into whatever I need." She describes how necessity affects desire. In the poem Daughter, Nicole Blackman writes, "one Day I'll give birth to a tiny baby girl and when she's born she'll scream and I'll tell her to never stop." Already she is empowering her hypothetical daughter. Already she is influencing the reader's perception on raising a daughter in today's society. One of her most potent poems, The God Of Sleep, depicts the uncomfortable comfort in a one-night stand with someone you know. One of the most important lines written in this book pertains to this poem: "Girls have to go somewhere dangerous every now and then just so they know they can find their way home." This excerpt from the poem The God Of Sleep is the essential message of Blood Sugar... to find your way home metaphorical or not. This book is written for anyone who wants find themselves in the chaos of everyday life. I would highly recommend this book to anyone that is willing to explore emotional and physical pain on higher levels. Anyone that is willing to explore the darker side of life, of love and of sex. This book is for more than just lovers of poetry. This is for people who want to expand the horizons of contemporary poetry. This book is a guide for anyone who wants to understand the healing power of confession, sin, revenge, lust, and chaos. http://www.lakecitycc.edu/howl/howl06/staff/Sarahbookreview.html

In the vein of Nicole Blackman's work, I want to keep this review concise and direct. With "Blood Sugar", Ms. Blackman touches the rarest of nerves with the adroit eye of a poet and clean candor of a seasoned observer of life. I'm certain that many of the poems contained in this book were not emotionally easy to write, and I feel very lucky that Ms. Blackman chose to share her wholly powerful work with us. I truly believe that "Blood Sugar" augments her as one of the most original and forthright poets of our time.

If youre a huge poetry fan or you hate the stuff, youll love this book. Nicole Blackman hits home and talks about feelings you'd never share with anyone. She is my favorite poet in the world and I feel that her poetry has really helped me through a lot. Her words can cut or heal you, but whatever it does it will effect you in some way. I read this book at least once a day and the poems never get old. My personnal favorite is "Iris." I am sure that if you buy this book you wont regret it.

As soon as I got this book I read it from front cover to back cover. It is so captivating. The use of words and the phrasing is beautiful. If you are even thinking about getting this, you should. I am not a huge fan of poetry, and this is more than that. Its the reality of words - yet i cant think of the right words to describe it.