Animal Experiments

by Anja Konig

Anja Konig’s is a voice we need now more than ever. In an era of tribalism, it’s rare to encounter one so committed to identifying the root of things as they really are, and then laying those findings bare with benign frankness. While the world ends around us daily, these pages offer a macro and micro view, in which we find ourselves both culpable and insignificant, and it is in this paradox that, perhaps, we might be redeemed.

82 pages, Paperback

Published June 3, 2020

Reviews

[Len Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great collection of poems.

The poet, Jacqueline Saphra describes this work far better than anything I can come up with:
“Grief, anger and despair co-habit with joy, humor and hope in this highly original and exquisitely-wrought new collection.”

I even liked the section headings for the poems:

i. this long moment, life, suspended between not yet and no longer
ii. if you don’t belong to where you’re from, you can make anywhere home
iii. the things that make me happy make me sad
iv. does the butterfly remember what the caterpillar knows?

Here’s a quick sample:

Tragedy

With affection
you can train a beagle
to offer his paw
for the injection.

Highly recommended.

[Suzanne Feldman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anja is a gifted, gifted poet. People who go for fiction only are really missing the boat with this volume of poetry. Beautiful, pertinent pieces.

[Kenleigh A G · Rating 4 out of 5]

What can I really say about this collection that it doesn’t already say for itself? I thoroughly enjoyed reading Animal Experiments, it is sometimes direct yet it still leaves room for the reader to form their own interpretation and emotional connection. Upon my first read through of this collection, my favorites were “Finally Peace”, “Undoing”, and “Earth Wakes Up from her Fever Dream”. I will definitely be revisiting this collection in the future
{4/5 stars}

[Kat Dixon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beauties among duds. Standouts for me include "Triple Negative," "Undoing," "Captive," "Cats and Dogs of No Esteem," "Social Isolation Rearing," "Do It by Leaping," two of the four title poems, and especially "We Are the Bees of the Invisible."

[Anja · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wrote it, I still like it

[Jerome · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good stuff

[Hobbes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the strange, off-kilter nature to a lot of her poems. I'll be checking out her new book coming next year.