Review: Tarot, by Jack Arthur | AUP New Poets 10

Review: Tarot by Jake Arthur

Words by: Phoebe Robertson (she/her)

Tarot is Jake Arthur's second poetry collection, published by Te Herenga Waka Press. I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy, and I read it by snuggling up to a heater on an overcast day, sipping a cup of tea (as suggested by the book itself in the first poem). I truly believe this is the best way to read this collection.

As the title suggests, this collection is structured around Tarot. Each poem has a title, followed by an alternative title that correlates with a specific tarot card. Being a thespian myself, I skimmed the collection to find the poems with the most interesting (destructive) cards. I found The Empress, The Fool, The Devil and The Tower, just to name a few.

But you don’t need knowledge of Tarot to enjoy this collection. It takes us on an adventure through different lives—a woman trying to train a robin; parents anxiously attending a parent-teacher conference; a man cast overboard wondering if he will ever be found. Each story lives in its own little world, which makes it a joy to read.

At $25, it’s a collection of poems I would recommend to any English Literature or Theatre major. You’ll get the cards to nerd out about, and enough emotional substance to keep you invested.

Review: AUP New Poets 10 

Words by: Phoebe Robertson (she/her)

I’ve been sitting on this book for a while because it features three different poets who all deserve their time. It’s edited by Anne Kennedy, and includes a foreword by her.

Tessa Keenan (Te Ātiawa) is described in the foreword as looking “out from the raw now at a landscape peopled with her tūpuna … her poems form a kind of bridge between those two realities.” She’s a fantastic poet; her work is well-defined and confident. My favorite piece in the collection is Killing Time at the Canterbury Museum (after Ana Iti) for the way Keenan describes absence.

romesh dissanayake explores “his early years in post-war Sri Lanka and his adult life in Aotearoa.” My favorite piece in the collection from him is The Mumma. I love everything about it. His debut novel, When I Open the Shop, is also available for purchase, and it’s my favorite piece of writing that I’ve read this year. I’d not only recommend that you purchase this collection for his work, but also that you turn toward his novel.

Sadie Lawrence rounds off this collection, exploring “the anguish of rite-of-passage in a complicated world”, with just enough hope to keep the reader optimistic. My favorite poem of hers is Puppy. I’d love to be able to describe in words why it’s my favorite, but really it’s because of the feeling it gives me. This reviewer says ‘read it’, I guess.

At $29.99, it’s a collection of poems I would recommend to anyone looking to dip their toes into Aotearoa poetry. You’ll get a variety of voices, and some truly excellent poetry.