Have not been born yet
They are waiting quietly
For their past to die
please give blood read full description
reviews
Feb 18, 2008
Eric
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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May 18, 2011
Katie
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Said the shotgun to the head is genius. Just pure genius. I don't know where that man got his talent, but I'd so love to just pick his brain. He's so good he makes me want to be better at everything i do!I want to be as good at anything as he is at writing poetry!I will never stop looking for that thing, and when I find it my life will be worthwhile even if I never make a dime. I cant love him or this book more, it will never leave me.
Aug 21, 2008
i have mixed feelings, mostly that a lot of what is said in this poem is a message that has existed forever and is still a message unaware in the mass consciousness. and so now a dude says it and i hope it will be taken more seriously by reaching an audience that may not typically veer toward this thinking--as this book was also helped put out by mtv, which is also a strange concept to me, but whatever works to get something out to get the folk thinking is a good move.
the poem is pro godde More...
the poem is pro godde More...
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Feb 11, 2009
Pete
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Saul Williams is by far the greatest performing-poet I have ever seen.
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May 13, 2011
Colin
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Saul Williams is a hip hop artist, actor, writer and slam poet apparently best experienced live. If that’s the case, his poetry collection, ,said the shotgun to the head., is the equivalent of canned laughter.
,said the shotgun to the head. is one big poem broken into numbered sections counting down from 10. Williams starts his pretentiousness in the introduction, stating his belief in a female god because of a passionate kiss (a kiss that inspired the book). Williams basically write More...
,said the shotgun to the head. is one big poem broken into numbered sections counting down from 10. Williams starts his pretentiousness in the introduction, stating his belief in a female god because of a passionate kiss (a kiss that inspired the book). Williams basically write More...
Nov 21, 2007
Carla
rated it:
This blew my mind.
I was at a local bookshop, with a friend, on a blustery day, in December. We both grabbed the book at the same time, and sat there on the floor, flipping page to page, reading it together.
It is Lovely. It is shockingly laid out, at times hard to see, for it overwhelms you. Other times, you feel like you can't seem to get enough, so that you wish to climb into the words themselves.
I was at a local bookshop, with a friend, on a blustery day, in December. We both grabbed the book at the same time, and sat there on the floor, flipping page to page, reading it together.
It is Lovely. It is shockingly laid out, at times hard to see, for it overwhelms you. Other times, you feel like you can't seem to get enough, so that you wish to climb into the words themselves.
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Dec 17, 2009
Dereck
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I've read it a couple of times, and it seems different every time.
It's a bit Allen Ginsberg, a bit E.E. Cummings, a bit Hollywood, a bit blues, and bit hatred, a bit love, and a bit paprika. It's artsy and lively. The type is unique, anbd you really get the true feeling of the words. You can hear the voice of the poem as if you were at a concert and stereo hi-fi. It's amazing. Read it OUT LOUD.
It's a bit Allen Ginsberg, a bit E.E. Cummings, a bit Hollywood, a bit blues, and bit hatred, a bit love, and a bit paprika. It's artsy and lively. The type is unique, anbd you really get the true feeling of the words. You can hear the voice of the poem as if you were at a concert and stereo hi-fi. It's amazing. Read it OUT LOUD.
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Oct 13, 2011
Adam
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My wife had been pushing this book on me for awhile and I had been dodging the read with, "I'm all ready in the middle of reading three books." When she caught me searching for a new book, I couldn't dodge it any further. I'm not sure why I hadn't been interested in reading ,said the shotgun to the head. I've been a fan of Williams' music for awhile, so it should have been a willing read. Whatever the reason, I finally gave in and I'm glad I had. The lyrical flow of Williams' poetr
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Oct 24, 2010
Matt
rated it:
A truly epic poem both in content and in quality. Saul Williams really delivers the goods in this nigh novel length poem that centers around a world changing kiss. This poem is a mind melding and explosive look at the world we live in, and a call to change the world for the better. Ultimately it delivers on all counts that a great poem should, vivid imagery, captivating juxtapositions, amazing metrics, and an amazing rhythm- it truly does not miss a beat! Once you pick it up ",said the Shot
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Jul 28, 2009
Robert
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Saul Williams, , said the shotgun to the head (Pocket/MTV, 2003)
I have had people comment that they sometimes can't tell the difference between what I consider good poetry and what I don't. To me, it's as simple as can be 99.9% of the time: good poetry deals with the “person, place, or thing” section of the category of nouns. Bad poetry, almost invariable, deals with the “idea” section. T. S. Eliot started out Book 5 of his long poem Paterson with the injunction “No ideas but in thin More...
I have had people comment that they sometimes can't tell the difference between what I consider good poetry and what I don't. To me, it's as simple as can be 99.9% of the time: good poetry deals with the “person, place, or thing” section of the category of nouns. Bad poetry, almost invariable, deals with the “idea” section. T. S. Eliot started out Book 5 of his long poem Paterson with the injunction “No ideas but in thin More...
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Sep 09, 2009
Dominique
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My world was turned upside-down with this book/poem. I have never been so moved by mastery of language. WHAT he says is as beautiful and haunting and true and astonishing as HOW he says it, and that's saying a lot. It sounds unlikely, and maybe I'm biased, but this is the absolute zenith of what poetry can accomplish. To be reread over and over. Not only is the content of this book of personal meaning to me, but it's written with a care and deliberateness that it makes all other poetry I've
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Jan 29, 2009
Mary
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i was introduced to this book by a good riend of mine, and it continues to speak to me in very different ways. i've seen saul william perform - while in undergrad he came for a convocation and did a performance for that, as well as a "concert" later on that night - and it was incredible. this is a book that everyone should read at some point in their lives.
May 29, 2010
Esmeralda
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This spastic poetry evokes the mood of contemporary American values. It is distrustful of patriarchy, phallus, war. Williams is asking for something else. The images in the flow of conscious snippets are people from different sociological backgrounds. The best portraits are of earth goddesses. Lovers fair well too.
Dec 28, 2008
Li
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I feel I read this too fast. I stumbled upon one part I really liked: "Her charm is in her silence, she speaks in extended parenthesis." Ultimately the book is trying to hard to be simple and different, but there are a few good moments and since the book is so short, they are worth the whole of the read.
Sep 25, 2011
Julia
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probably more like three & a half stars; i liked it, i guess, but i feel like it would have worked a thousand times better as something to listen to. i've gotten into spoken word recently and it wasn't until then that i discovered saul williams is a spoken word poet, which makes so much more sense.
Apr 02, 2009
Taylor
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This was the first book that really got me hooked on Poems. I pictured this book to be just one huge poem. I loved it :). It taught me a lot about voice in the text, and how one can get there voice heard. I need to buy it again, I loss it, so I'm going to buy it again :)
Jun 30, 2010
Lee
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Williams credits his inspiration to Bob Kaufman, Allen Ginsberg, Hafiz and Rumi...all great. After this read I think the good news for Kaufman, Ginsberg, Hafiz and Rumi is they weren't published and marketed by MTV. This was worth the coffee house read it got but not a second.
May 27, 2010
Whitney
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Williams is a master wordsmith. His imagery is amazing and I find his poetry extremely poignant. You can feel the emotional grunt work he put into crafting this book. This is one of my favorite books of poetry.
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Apr 15, 2010
Kennedy
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This was probably the worst book of "poetry" that I have ever read. It tried a billion times too hard to be original and quirky and the effort was clear. This was a failed attempt at an enlightening experience.
Jul 01, 2009
Ryan
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I really enjoy the concept of this. It challenges the way poetry is conventionally done even more than his first book did. There are some great moments here. I could've done without the preachy new age religious stuff.
Feb 26, 2009
Zozette
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I don't know how Saul Williams managed to mix ecstatic (Sufi-influenced) poetry with strong political statement against patriarchal systems, but he did it, and beautifully. Very cool book design, too.
Mar 17, 2008
Josh
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Absolutely brilliant. I have seen him live and even without music he has enough charisma to fill a room with expectation and hold rapt their attention. What an amazing wordsmith for I refuse to believe that he is anything less than a master craftsman who creates these words with a deliberate passion. I will never be able to say enough good about this book. At my work I have shared a few quotes from this book and people always ask me where it came from. He has the same power of words as renowned
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Sep 30, 2009
Andrew
rated it:
A-MAZ-ING.
Everyone I've known who has read this poem/book (yes, it's one long poem) has drawn something totally unique from it. It's a short read and totally worth it.
Everyone I've known who has read this poem/book (yes, it's one long poem) has drawn something totally unique from it. It's a short read and totally worth it.
Oct 18, 2011
Bill
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I'm not into poetry much, but I'm into this poem 100%. It's one of the few books I've read multiple times, and plan to pick up and read many more.
Apr 23, 2010
Rushay
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I think I would always revert to his older material def worth checking out now if I could only get the fool that stole my copy
Feb 14, 2010
Sandy
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Wow. Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow! First time I've ever wanted to hug an author at a signing. This poem is a readgasm!
Mar 03, 2009
Jonathan
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this book helped to change my outlook on life and continues to inspire me to write and perform today. a great read.
Nov 22, 2009
Ben
rated it:
Favorite piece so far:
"I cannot make your past disappear. Only rabbits my love, only rabbits"
"I cannot make your past disappear. Only rabbits my love, only rabbits"
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Feb 05, 2011
Not usually big on poetry, but this was just a great book. I'll probably read it again.
Oct 23, 2010
Lorraine
rated it:
This book was awesome-he uses wonderful imagery when he writes his prose.
