http://reviewermagazine.com/unobtainable-book-review.html

[book review]

The Erotic Writings of Unobtainable

By Marilyn Campiz
Publish America, Baltimore 2007

Book review by Vikkee Payge

In high school, my friends didn’t like to show me their writing because I found all the little grammatical mistakes. If I had gone to school with Campiz, it would have been the same for her. Let me explain.

When I’m reading anything the last thing I want to do is mentally ‘edit’ it, and unfortunately, that’s what I found myself doing while reading Campiz’s poetry. While I realize poetry is some of the best free form writing, and puncutation can go out the window, it is painfully obvious that no one had gone over her book before it was put out there. Words are missing and mispelled, making it difficult to understand some of the phrasing. To me, that makes one look like an amateur who needs more writing experience.

While Marilyn’s poetry is open and candid, it is also boring. Each poem is about letting herself go and allowing her heart to belong to someone else. The sex scenes are practically rated ‘G’ and do not turn me on in the least.

The poems follow the gradual downward spiral of a relationship to its inevitable end. Everything is literal, leaving no imagination to the reader. On top of that, it is all done in the tone of a jilted jr. college girl. I am surprised by this since Campiz holds multiple degrees and is obviously a well-educated woman.

When I am reading poetry, I want it to make me think; to put me in a different world. I want to feel what the writer is feeling. I don’t get that with Campiz’s book.

For readers who are just beginning to get into poetry, Unobtainable is a good start. It’s an easy read, and it has a good base for getting the feel of the free form of poetry. I don’t recommend reading it for its “erotic undertones” because there are none.

Bottom line, there is better poetry out there.

– VP

Leave a Reply