Chelsey Minnis, Zirconia

Chelsey Minnis' collection of poems in Zirconia is colorful and emotional. Minnis jumps from one idea to the next without fluid transitions. However, the use of periods instead of empty space connect one idea to the next while simultaneously creating powerful separations to emphasize certain points. The language in Zirconia is often harsh, violent and sometimes grotesque. Disturbing images mingle with beautiful ones throughout the collection. This imagery can be found in the poem, Maroon, which starts,

.............my bloodsticky........................................wet......................................
.......................................................................................................................
..............................................................baby..................................................
........is..............an auburn...and.............bloody.......beauty..............................
............who.....................................................................................................
............shined........inside........................a slippery milky sac..........................


This illustration of the inner workings of natality is somewhat disturbing and grotesque, but at the same time, the language is beautiful and enticing to the reader. This use of language and imagery creates a strange balance in Zirconia and the scales are usually not even.

The structure of the poems in Zirconia is often challenging to follow but it is also enjoyable. The use of periods allows Minnis to emphasize certain words and images in a new and different way than other authors. I had to pause on several words and consider the meaning of the spaces in the collective whole of the poem. This new and different use of structure was enticing to me as a reader and was a powerful use of the space on the page.

However, in contrast to my last point, I especially enjoyed the poems, The Skull Ring, and The Aquamarine, which use simple paragraph form and no obvious pattern. These two poems illustrate the personality and emotions of the writer. I enjoyed how straight-forward and simple these poems were but at the same time, I felt as though the intended meaning was layered and pointed towards more than what was being said. For example, in The Aquamarine, the concept of being invisible in certain situations is an important point about social interaction and one's perceived place in society. The simple use of structure in these two poems makes them more accessible and emotionally powerful to me.