Love is an Empty Barstool

by Pooja Nansi

The poems in this collection are best read with a glass of single malt but they work equally well in a quiet place at twilight. Test on a small area first – especially if you are in possession of a broken (or breaking) heart and see your bartender immediately if side effects persist.

Genres: Poetry, Romance

46 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2013

About the author

Pooja Nansi is an educator and poet who believes in the power that speech and performance can lend to the written word. She has published two collections of poetry, and co -written a teacher’s resource for using Singaporean Poetry in the classroom . She also curates a monthly Spoken Word and Poetry showcase called Speakeasy at Artistry Cafe.

Reviews

[Natalie · Rating 2 out of 5]

every line read like i had read it somewhere else before and i don't mean that in a good way. the poems try to evoke the sense of being in a smoky hotel bar, drinking alone, one leg crossed over the other, drinking heartache away. or rather an imitation of those feelings. it seemed like the narrator thought that it was Hot to be perceived that way ie. comes across as seeking the male gaze. it's been three days since i read this & i still can't believe this is a line that someone earnestly wrote down: "I am beautiful because I have dated bad boys & good boys & ugly boys & pretty boys, only to finally realise all I needed was a man". a lot to unpack there but my main question is why is "all she needed" a man? ʕ •ᴥ•ʔ overall: cliched, writing was not compelling & did not say anything new or insightful about heartache & desire.

[Nikita Deshpande · Rating 5 out of 5]

Utterly, utterly beautiful poetry that stirs old memories. At the risk of sounding banal, it made me feel like I had a sorority with the poet, like she knew exactly how it felt... The "it" being love and devastation and flirting with fire.

Highly recommended.

[Jake · Rating 1 out of 5]

These are poems of love and heartbreak writ in small moments. And, unfortunately, they are all too content to remain small.

[Review #1 - 01/08/17]

[JulienneReads ✧.* ◡̈ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my God. That was beautiful. Her words are enough to perfectly encapsulate the raw feeling of love.

Cried at some pages. This is healing to me. I feel like I read this at the right place at a right time. Can’t wait to read her other poetry books!!!!!!

[H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whoa there.

[Chrystal Ho · Rating 5 out of 5]

rosemary and wine and warmth down my spine

[mm · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish I had had the opportunity to see/hear Nansi perform these poems with her friend singing the blues beside her. What a treat that would have been.
In any case, her lyricism and the poignancy of her words are still evident – and knowing her, I can just imagine her inflection and the toss of her curls of she reads lines such as
page 14: 'Some taught me that a kiss is not a test. It cannot patch up the leak in your heart.' in Since You Scoff When I Say You Are The Best Kisser I've Ever Met (only Nansi can title her poems such!)
or page 18:
'All I wanted to tell you then,
was that your heart
is a muscle too.' in Sore
My favourite in this small collection is I Am Beautiful as she shifts from one idea to another, most ideas incongruent. I smiled as I read them – read Tolstoy for fun and Cosmo for business.
'I am beautiful because I say I am.'
You are, Pooja Nansi, as is this collection.

[O · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this collection a fair amount, but (spoiler alert!) not as much as Pooja's latest collection, We Make Spaces Divine. I can't quite tell if was the poems itself or that I probably just wasn't in the right time of my life to connect with heartbreak poetry. I don't remember them as much as I do say Tender Delirium - though there was one about french fries that I enjoyed.

Pooja is a fantastic poet, and an even better spoken word one dare I say. But the thematic frame of this collection were possibly just too specific for me.

[Melvin Tan · Rating 4 out of 5]

If there is a sweet spot between stage and page poetry, this is it. Pooja Nansi delivers her verses with a vocal punch even on paper. It is far more than being conversational. Her words are sharpened to provoke a reaction from the audience. She writes about ‘poems’, ‘enjambment’ giving her a personal voice, as if this is a private reading.

The opening haiku sums up this slim collection best: “A shot glass of unrequited loves.“ Brace yourself for the hangover.

[Charissa Ty · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book made me fall in love with 'enjambment' after not being a big fan of the format for the entire time of being in the poetry industry. Very thought provoking and 3 pieces really stood out to me. I love how she repeats words and phrases for emphasis, a thing I only see during spoken word performances. Some of the poems are a little bit sexy. 🙈 Love them.

[Max Pasakorn Konwohrachet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poignant, sweet and beautiful emotions from love are recorded in this short poetry chapbook. Each page will hit something inside that makes you feel the bittersweet tenderness of heartbreak. A great read on gloomy days.

[Hanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly good, although most of these poems sound similar to other published poetry out there, I can definitely imagine how much more emotional the spoken word performances would be.

Hopefully I get to catch her live in KL if she comes down here one day.

[Addie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of the poems' sequences sounded awkward, but overall, this is a good collection! Reading the poems hits you right down to the core - it's like drinking a whiskey that basks you in the bittersweet warmth and emptiness of ~feelings~.

[Brandon Choo · Rating 3 out of 5]

While there is no doubt Pooja Nansi is one of Singapore's most linguistically-adept literary artists, it is a waste that she is not experimental enough. Her poetry has the potential to be even more sublime if she incorporates more elements of experimentation.

[Yijun Liu · Rating 5 out of 5]

AMAZING

[R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW. JUST WOW. I am completely blown away by Pooja Nansi’s writing. Full review to come soon.

[Minttu · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't into poetry until I discovered Pooja Nansi on my singapore trip. She is amazing!

[Guan You · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe I somewhat enjoyed it only because I rewatched Lost In Translation shortly before reading this.

[Vera · Rating 2 out of 5]

A reviewer said she felt like she read every line before, that it felt like it was written because the narrator thought it was hot to be this way, that in the end everything was cliched and said nothing new about love and desire.

And it was.

There were a few lines that did sounded nice and I did reread to savour it. I particularly liked Sore, so it wasn’t as if it was all bad.

But in the end, it did feel like it was trying to be something it wasn’t and there were moments when I’d mentally step back from all the want and the longing, and think wait really?? It felt like a younger girl dreaming, that she’d be lounging in a classy bar with cigar smoke in the air, nursing a broken heart over a glass of whiskey while wondering if another man might find her cool and hot in that very moment. Idk that kinda makes me feel a little sad.

But this was written in 2013, a v different time from today where we’d probably not need a man to complete us as much. So I was daydreaming and wondering if she’d sometimes think about this collection and rewrite them to change them to fit her current self?

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mags got me this book of poetry from Singapore, and I swear of all the things she makes me do, reading this kind of poetry may just be my favorite. The first time I read it, I read it three times cover to cover, then I read my favorite pieces around five more times each after that. Usually I shy away from poetry because I don’t think I fully appreciate poems the way that they’re meant to be revered — metaphors go over my head, the inconsistent spacing is difficult for me to follow, and it just so happens that I’m always more comfortable with prose.

But my oh my, Pooja Nansi reeled me in. My favorite (for now) is the piece called Protocol, but really, almost every poem had its own merits. It tugged at my heartstrings, it tore me apart, it made me feel weak in the knees and unexplainably vulnerable. It made me feel things, I guess, and that’s why I keep raving about it to people. It brings to mind almost every encounter with ‘love’ — your first love, your first heartbreak, your worst heartbreak, your lost love. All of it, written in ways that I can only admire.

As an amateur reader of poetry (in other words, I’m not really much good at it), I very highly recommend this. And I also recommend that you drink something strong while going through it, it just hurts too damn much when read sober.

[Varsha Sundar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bought a copy after watching her show (would highly recommend).
Bittersweet and full of warmth.

[Taj · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn't really in possession of a breaking heart, at least not due to love. I was in possession of a heart in confusion though. And this spoke to me. I'm not too sure if it made me feel better or cry even harder, but it was cathartic. Especially, "The Moment I Knew You Were Not The One". That one kicked me in the gut.

[faith · Rating 3 out of 5]

These poems are rather straightforward, but in a particularly distinct way. In many ways they feel like songs, dancing declarations. Love characterised in these poems is not so much melancholia, but rather, well, an empty barstool.

"My lips are not cement and they cannot seal these wounds but I am here, palms held open and I / love you."

[Yvonne Khoo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful and haunting. With each detail down to the last microbeat, it makes everything come alive in an almost surreal manner, one which puts you through the emotions of the experienced simply through the transposition of words.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the first Singaporean works I have encountered. A fantastic collection. I love the loose, flowing style. Had the privilege of having Pooja Nansi perform some of the works to us at my university. Accompanied by a guitar, and sung, sometimes with the addition of choruses from old Indian songs.

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gorgeous. This book is a mature collection of honest thoughts, with well written turns of phrase and unexpected juxtapositions. It evokes a certain bittersweet reminiscence of past experience and the regret of unexplored opportunities (for me, at least).

It was an illuminating read.

[Isabelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

beautiful, breathtaking, heart wrenching.

[Kristel · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first poetry book I ever bought.
Read it when I was feeling raw and it certainly evoked even more emotions in me.



(Date read is approximated.)

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book like this is meant to be savoured with a whisky on the rocks.

[Basmaish · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3.75)