The Univer-soul Language Saturday, October 29, 2005 (16:41:18) Posted by This collection is indeed universal…too universal. THE UNIVER-SOUL LANGUAGE Edited by Cedric Mixon Kobalt Books, 2005 The publisher’s description of Univer-Soul Language states that “these writers’ stories are universal. Despite differences in language and inflection, the voices resound as a single unit bound by the rhythms of poetry." On the first count, they’re right. On the second, they’re almost right. On both counts they’re still not making a great book. The poems in this collection are indeed universal…too universal. Much of the work sounds like plenty of work you’ve heard before, and almost all of the stories of their poems are typical stories. Loneliness, love, prison, slavery…if you’ve read just about any poetry collection put out featuring minority voices – especially black ones – on the last ten years, you won’t be surprised here. And while attempts by the authors to stamp these too-common subjects with their own voices have been made, only Sharia Kharif stands out (which is probably why she’s featured first in the collection). She at least attempts to take left turns where most of her contemporaries go right in her language and image choices. And while a piece like "I" begs for performance intake only, much of the rest of her work is at least serviceable. That she is surrounded by this type of work (Heather Smith): My Burnt Star my burnt star sheds its chard skin in agony. I make no sound, for what sound could describe a failed dream? …makes her shine all the brighter. I took particular note of the work by the editor, Cedric Mixon, who weighs in his own collection at a whopping 21 poems to everyone else’s 11-13. There are two natural assumptions one can make before even reading his work: that the book is really supposed to service his work (but alone either isn’t enough for a book or isn’t enough for a good book), or that he’s the best poet in the bunch. Only Mixon or those associated with him on this project can attest to whether or not the first is true, but the second one is answered three poems into his section: By My Side By my side… Walking with me… Sitting with me… Just your company is enough. No matter what they say, I know how I feel. I know what you’ve done. I remember. Being average Blends with nothing. Your miraculous ways So great Evidence reviewed By universe, For those Who desire sight. The answer is “no, he isn’t the best poet in this collection.‿ Univer-Soul Language has its moments but overall the book fails as little more than a snapshot of what’s trolling about the open mic scene these days…but you could have assumed that much. Bad poetry is universal. Reviewd by Scott Woods Content received from: GotPoetry.com, http://www.gotpoetry.com