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On The Other Side Of The Eye
by
Bryan Thao Worra (Goodreads Author)
The first book of Laotian American speculative poetry, taking its readers on a journey to the hidden edges of the universe and the human soul.
Paperback
Published
January 28th 2007
by Sam's Dot Publishing
(first published 2007)
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May 30, 2008
Barbara
marked it as poetry
I wrote the foreword to this bad baby, which I will excerpt here:
I very much appreciate this deliberate decentering or disorienting, pulling us readers away from any “safe,” neat, predictable frames of reference — the autobiographical “I” of the API poet, which has been done, overdone, and done again and again, to the point of our exhaustion. And so as a poet and a reader, I very much appreciate the tones he affects — tones that come close to the outer edges of that autobiographical, convention...more
I very much appreciate this deliberate decentering or disorienting, pulling us readers away from any “safe,” neat, predictable frames of reference — the autobiographical “I” of the API poet, which has been done, overdone, and done again and again, to the point of our exhaustion. And so as a poet and a reader, I very much appreciate the tones he affects — tones that come close to the outer edges of that autobiographical, convention...more
This effort rewinds heads from modern day tone into sweeping ancient kingdoms, history, margins of the soul, and the like. Bodies of poetry laced with cloaked wit, planted within this book, recognise and absorb the reader, wandering about the writer's cultivated ground of warning.
Bryan uses the "poem" as a whimsical mechanism in a hybrid-format, to speak to a global/cosmic state of urgency, leaving readers aware of and eyeing worlds transparent, with an upside down smile...a must-read!
Bryan uses the "poem" as a whimsical mechanism in a hybrid-format, to speak to a global/cosmic state of urgency, leaving readers aware of and eyeing worlds transparent, with an upside down smile...a must-read!
Fun, witty, universal yet oddly intimate, Bryan pulls his readers into alien yet familiar areas of the human experience. From its pages, On the Other Side of the Eye whispers to our inner alien with a challenge to recognize the monster within all of us. Yet, far from being judgmental or conclusive, Bryan narrates with the voice of a seeker whose infectious curiosity reminds us that the world is infinitely full of wonder.
I've said it before and I'll say it again; Bryan Thao Worra is a publishing machine and a force to be reckoned with. Pay attention to this guy, he's relentless and--of course--brimming with talent and perspective.
Bryan Thao Worra's poetry collection is a must for anyone's bookshelf. Riveting, witty and inspirational. Done let this one pass you by.
Sep 12, 2007
Danny Sillada
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
everyone studying Asian-American literature
Shelves:
poetry
The first book of Laotian American speculative poetry, taking its readers on a journey to the hidden edges of the universe and the human soul.
I thoroughly enjoy Bryan's sharp wit.
This collection brought to mind Robert Bly's leaping poetry.
In his book "Leaping Poetry" Bly wrote: "I am not saying it (leaping poetry) is the only good kind of poetry. Far from it. I like poetry of steady light very much. Shakespeare's sonnets are often poetry of steady light . . . The leaping poem by contrast gives off a constantly flashing light as it shifts from light psyche to dark psyche, resembling the flashing lights of flying saucers."
What I have seen and read of Worra makes me think h...more
In his book "Leaping Poetry" Bly wrote: "I am not saying it (leaping poetry) is the only good kind of poetry. Far from it. I like poetry of steady light very much. Shakespeare's sonnets are often poetry of steady light . . . The leaping poem by contrast gives off a constantly flashing light as it shifts from light psyche to dark psyche, resembling the flashing lights of flying saucers."
What I have seen and read of Worra makes me think h...more
Poetry often tends to make me go, "Hmm," "Oh," or "That's nice." Bryan's poetry makes me laugh, flip back the page to consider that last bit again, or cry out, "What?" (and I mean that in a good way). "On the Other Side of the Eye" is at once other-worldly and yet strangely familiar, as though I have already asked and explored those questions in a waking dream. Nayrb, uoy knaht.
a great local author!! see him reading in person if you can!
I love the imagery that Bryan uses in this collection and find myself returning to it to dicover more in it each time.
Mar 19, 2013
Donald Armfield
marked it as to-read
Mar 09, 2013
Ann
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Feb 16, 2013
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Dec 29, 2012
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Feb 09, 2012
A.C. Wise
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Jan 07, 2012
Taylor
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Oct 29, 2010
anonymous
marked it as to-read
May 21, 2010
Greg
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Apr 04, 2010
Lisa Marie
marked it as to-read
Mar 09, 2009
Camille
marked it as to-read
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Bryan Thao Worra is the first Laotian American writer to hold a Fellowship in Literature from the National Endowment for the Arts. He is the award-winning author of several books including On The Other Side Of The Eye, BARROW, Winter Ink, Tanon Sai Jai, Touching Detonations, and The Tuk-Tuk Diaries: My Dinner With Cluster Bombs.
He is the creative works editor for the Journal of Southeast Asian Ame...more
More about Bryan Thao Worra...
He is the creative works editor for the Journal of Southeast Asian Ame...more
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