Jet Black (Book Review) The Prelude, Volume 1 and Shades Injustice Limited Edition by Bre Ashley

Genre: Poetry

For those that write poetry, you know it is a very personal experience. Poets write to convey a message or a feeling, sometimes both.

Because it is so personal, yet, often written for others to read, the writer has to ensure their message and/or feeling is clear and the reader has the unique responsibility to figure out what the author is trying to say.

Bre Ashley, an up and coming writer, has taken on the challenge (because sharing one’s self with others in such a vulnerable way is always a risk) to create words that create energetic and lively conversations.

Bre uses figures of speech such as analogies metaphors, and similes to address her thoughts on racism, bias injustices, and women injustices. The major theme is the use of natural hair and it’s products to convey these topics.

She creates a nostalgic image of her childhood experiences yet drives home the duality of having fond memories that also held moments of inequality and injustice and ways to change history.

Throughout her poetry we experience her love for family and their role in shaping this culturally and socially conscious young lady. Her poetry is filled with a message of social justice and social change.

Her poetry is an eclectic use of format and structure. Some poems she uses lines that follow a rhyming pattern and other poems seem to be written as a song. Her poetry is filled with repeat stanzas that create a staccato beat in your head that imprints her message clearly.

Although the poems are poignant and provocative, her writing is so heavy in analogies and metaphors that you must read the poems several times to make sure you understand her meaning.

In addition, there is an unnecessary overuse of preludes and introductions that can turn readers off before they even get to the poetry.

Ms. Ashley is a smart, culturally and socially aware poet. Her style is unique because she uses figures of speech regarding black natural hair and it’s treatment products to express her socially charged thoughts and feelings.

I recommend you read her powerful poetry.

Tabitha💋:9/12/21:9pm