The Feather Room

by Anis Mojgani

Science, birds, Billy the Kid, and lots of feathers surround The Feather Room.
In The Feather Room, Anis Mojgani's follow up to his Pushcart-nominated work, Over the Anvil We Stretch, Mojgani further explores storytelling in poetic form while traveling farther down the path of magic realism, endowing his tales with a greater sense of fantasy and brightness. The work recounts loss and heartbreak while discovering lightness and beauty on the other side. Throughout the book, Mojgani opens tree trunks to reveal chandeliers. He leads us through the rooms inside himself, using poems to part curtains and paint walls. He is lifting windows to let the fantasy indoors.

Genres: Poetry, Fiction

157 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2011

About the author

ANIS MOJGANI is a two time National Poetry Slam Champion, winner of the International World Cup Poetry Slam, and multiple-time TEDx Speaker. He has been awarded residencies from the Vermont Studio Center, AIR Serenbe, and the Oregon Literary Arts Writers-In-The-Schools program. His work has appeared on HBO, NPR, and in the pages of such journals as Rattle, Forklift Ohio, Paper Darts, and Thrush.
Anis is the author of five books, all published by Write Bloody Publishing: The Pocketknife Bible (2015). Songs From Under the River (2013), The Feather Room (2011), Over the Anvil We Stretch (2008), and his latest, In the Pockets of Small Gods (2018). Originally from New Orleans, he currently lives in Oregon.

Reviews

[Kitty | MyCuriousReads · Rating 3 out of 5]

The innovative poetry and prose of Anis Mojgani, will launch you on a phantasmagorical journey where;

self-exploration meets the stars and the sea ~

self-realization arises from heartbreak and grief ~

self-actualization triggers wisdom and wit ~

chandeliers are dicovered in tree trunks and ah,yes…

the feathers 🪶
the feathers 🪶
the feathers 🪶


A powerful read worthy of admiration.

[cowboymater · Rating 5 out of 5]

i didn't know that magical realism poetry was something i needed until this

greatest hits:
- He is a star burning in a paint can. / I cannot put a lid on my love.
- My body for so long had been a bag of holes.
- There are things inside of me that are overgrown with blackberries.
- They celebrate the space in their bodies returning to sediment and gravity.
- All I did was shake my ribcage like a library in an earthquake. / I spilled books like holy water.
- Such golden light the rivers in my country hold. / They speak well of you.

[Maryanne Taouk · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of work from acclaimed Def Jam and Slam Poet Anis Mojgani is definitely a must read for aspiring hipsters everywhere.

A joyful mix of poems and observations, ‘The Feather Room’ appears to be a bit of an intrusive look into Mojgani’s life, in fact some of the things he writes about are so personal you feel a little guilty reading them.

That doesn’t stop each page becoming a testament to modern American poetry, or the unquestionable bible of chai-latte drinking, scarf wearing, Salvation Army shopping ‘individuals’ around the world.
Be happy that the culture of wearing dark-rimmed thick glasses (that you probably don’t even need) has spawned such a beautiful collection of works that will bring a tear to the eye.

Don’t fight your love for the lifestyle, just let it happen and let Mojgani lead the way!
P.S. The poem ‘These things are how you make me feel’ is the single most heartfelt and magically sculptured thing in the history of mankind; if you don’t buy the book at least Google this poem.

[Paroma · Rating 1 out of 5]

Am I missing something? I'm truly starting to think I am. To be completely truthful, I had no idea what in the world was going on in 99% of these poems. I don't think I enjoy poems like this, ones that are written almost exclusively in magical realism imagery. There were maybe two works in the entire collection that I genuinely enjoyed, the rest I just waded through in a muck of confusion. Maybe there is something with Mojgani's writing style that I am just not connecting to. Maybe one day I'll try reading these poems again and see if I get anything more out of this work. I think I may have been looking for some deeper meaning in most of these poems that just wasn't there. Others seem to really like this author's work, so it may just be me reading these in a way that wasn't intended.

[Matthew Huff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great collection of Mojgani's trademark magic. His poetry mixes innocent non sequiturs with poignant poetic swordplay. He is a master writer, though some of his work passes by me.

This book is an appropriate development from Over the Anvil, We Stretch. While his poems read beautifully, his power remains in his performance.

[Yona · Rating 5 out of 5]

The collection open with a story, told like a myth or folk tale, about the three doors of one’s life: a yellow wood door, which shows the past and someone loved and lost; a red stone door, which shows the self crying for something one cannot let go; and a blue glass door, which shows the future. The poems in The Feather Room show Anis Mojgani’s journey through these three doors.

I’m still not quite sure what I thought of Mojgani. These were very strange poems, and I can’t pretend I under them all. Some of the shorter ones were particularly strange. I mean, what does it mean to feel like a field again? But I adore the strangeness, probably because it’s overflowing with natural images: flowers, birds, lions, canyons; these are the images of my own childhood and some of my own poetic preoccupations, so I immediately felt a rapport with Mojgani. I also believe that a poem is only worth the amount that it makes you think, so I have no qualms with obscurity as long as there’s something to be uncovered in it. And I do see that here. These poems tell the story of a transformation and transcendence. It delves into the depths of grief and regret, but then leaves them behind. Overall, I’d say The Feather Room is full of tenderness, vulnerability, and wonder. For a reader looking for poems about retribution or anger, this collection would be a disappointment. All I can say is that this book made me feel good as I was reading it and after I finished, and I think that’s worth something. I want more of Anis Mojgani.

Some of my favorites from this collection are “The Feathers,” “Photosynthesis,” “My Ghosts,” “The Grieving Room,” and “Spring Comes in on the Tails.” (But I enjoyed them all.)

[Hobie Anthony · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't often read poetry, but I happened to see Mojgani read here in Portland and was drawn in by the energy and the magicality of the writing. Nearly narrative, but not prose, these pieces charmed the socks off of me. I was fortunate enough to see him perform again last night and am jazzed all over again. Keep it coming, Anis!

[Louise Gannon · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a collection of storytelling in poetic form. It contains themes of grief, loss, heartbreak, mental illness, love, and home. We are presented with recurrent images of feathers, birds, flowers, doors, and woods.

This just wasn't for me unfortunately. The majority seemed to me to be posery, self-indulgent poetry for poetry's sake. Having said that, I did read it all in one day, although that was mostly just to get it out of the way.

[Gabriela Rodríguez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Anis Mojgani is a heavenly poet. This was a gorgeous collection of poems, the ones in the first sections were brilliant, but the most beautiful of all was the first page of the book… you’ll know if you read it.

[Taylor Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

“This is where I saw you.
This is where I see you.
This is where inside of me you sleep.
When I put you into my mouth
it tastes of almonds dipped in rose water.
This is where I taste like this too.”

[Shaistah Nabee · Rating 3 out of 5]

look, on heart i love Anis. this man has changed my life. but i feel like, at times, the poetry is really really personal, in the sense that we can’t really understand. that’s the only thing.

[Aliff Awan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Akhirnya, Anis terperangkap dengan cerita yang dicipta awal-awal tadi.

Puisinya banyak membebel, dan ambo penat nak baca.

Tapi, sajak-sajak pendeknya menarik juga.

[Duane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished the last few poems in The Feather Room - an amazing journey of poems that has filled my mind with wonder for the past week. Anis Mojani took me places – as a reader – that only one other writer ever has – Gabriel Garcia Marquez. This is not to say they write in a similar fashion – they don't. But each took my mind on a journey to similar places – but by different routs.

Anis has a wild and wide ranging mind and where he leads the reader is stunning. I never expect to connect with all the poems in a collection by any poet – there are just to many variables to factor in to be connected with a poet at all times, but when we were in sync as poet and read – Oh, magic moments.

Is Anis and easy read? I would so no. Where he wants to take the reader are places that demand the reader to be an active participant in the venture. There is nothing spoon feed about his work. The way he uses, twists and reforms language is a thing of beauty. He allows the reader to look at moments – that they might have looked at many times before – but now, from completely diverse angles that spin fresh takes on that most common.

There are a number of poems that I returned to multiple times – to read as a whole of for specific lines. Poems such as: What She Said, The General & his Lover, Razi's Lemon Tree, This House, The Magician, and Like a Piano in a House on a Cliff – to name only a few.

Will I be rereading The Feather Room at some point – YES. Will I be seeking out his first book: Over the Anvil, WE Stretch. – A most definite YES!

The Feather Room is yet another offering from Write Bloody Publishing – a company who has never failled to satisfy me.

[Ronnie Stephens · Rating 5 out of 5]

The words bleeding out of this book are, in a word, extraordinary. Anis Mojgani is one of the best poets out there, no question. I've been following his career for a little over 4 years now, and this is the best work I've ever seen from him. Mojgani is a master with language, and his poems are hypnotizing. Never before has an American poet so effortlessly bridged superhuman compassion with brutal honesty. To give you an idea of how incredible this collection is, I'm waiting on my third copy to ship. The first two made their way into the hands of others, and they're being held hostage indefinitely. Order one for you and one for a friend! Seriously!

[Courtney LeBlanc · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I like magical realism in fiction, I don't care for it in poetry as I don't connect with the poems and in this case, often didn't have any idea what was going on. I've seen Mojgani perform his poetry live and he's wonderful on stage as he brings an enthusiasm and energy to his performances. Unfortunately that didn't translate well onto the page.

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This man has such a beautiful mind that it's almost painful to read his words. Been lucky enough to have been exposed to his writing and performances for seven years, and I'm still constantly in awe.

[Maria Rocio]

amazing, beautiful, inspiring. a must read for anyone with a passion for words, writing and life.

[Dan Hues · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mojgani’s poetry is visceral and epic. Always intriguing to peruse and piece together its meaning.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! The poems were beautiful, in that dream like state where things are real and not real, light and heavy at the same time. But most of all these poems made me hopeful of love...

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got to see this guy speak at a To Write Love on Her Arms event and immediately fell in love with his art. It's so fresh and genuine. LOVE IT!

[Biscuits]

This book startles with its youthful buoyancy, like discovering your true love has returned and filled the living room with balloons.

[Camilla · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars!

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good.

[M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best collection of magical realism poetry I've discovered in a while.