Red Channel in the Rupture

by Amber Flora Thomas

Red Channel in the Rupture is a gathering place for the troubling abuses of the past. Looking through the lens of the present moment, Thomas shows us the open palm necessary to embrace change, as she finds beauty in bodies gnashed, trapped, and crushed into change. Images and experiences bleed together as we confront with the poet the animal of loss and death. Moving through the aperture of landscapes and moments that have defined this poet, we discover the rupturing territory of time and change. We recover absolution for what has tried to kill our very souls. Here is the “endless rope” thrown out to all of us in our shame and fear; we would be wise to snatch this coil from the air.

Genres: Poetry

88 pages, Paperback

First published September 18, 2018

Reviews

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading many of these poems of attachment brings a lump to my throat. Whether to a teddy bear mulled by a lovable dog, a junco stunned by a window, or a passionate love evoked by the Santa Ana winds, Thomas confers a compassionate reality to the things she holds dear as she grows through ache and ecstasy from child to woman. I think her fiercely gentle spirit is caught best for me in “Atlantic” where I am “snagged by a wave’s foamy edge.”

Her titles are important to heed; otherwise, the first verse will throw you like the horse in "Thrown." Once you have your bearings, the ride is smooth.

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

There were so many poems that showed a deep intimacy with nature, whether it be the living creatures or the landscapes around us. I was really taken to how sensual and dreamlike these poems were, some of them overflowing with quiet grief. I admit that I didn’t fully follow all of these poems, but I was taken to the lyricism.

Some favorites: “Shed,” “Ending in Place,” “Crossing,” “Blackberries,” “Everything You Can Burn,” “At the Cherry Trees”

Read for the Sealey Challenge.

[Jeanne Julian · Rating 4 out of 5]

See my review in a forthcoming issue of The Main Street Rag.