Never in my life have I read poetry that feels like walking around a museum until now. Dakota Warren’s On Sun Swallowing is an assemblage of poetry, prose, and journal excerpts. Warren writes of devotion, devastation, obsession, and resentment in this gorgeously strung-together collection. The mixed media elevates her work and enhances the scene she is trying to set. By using photography and small illustrations, it brings together the collection very cohesively. Dakota Warren is also an extremely talented writer. Her prose is accessible, yet niche, creating a well-cultivated environment for readers. Her use of imagery is irresistible, intriguing, and quite esoteric. She did not only impress me, but she also made me understand more about my personal poetic niche.
Upon my multiple rereads of On Sun Swallowing, eight poems stood out to me. Of these, “Funeral Song”, “A Paternal Expose”, and “Sunday Morning Psychosis” were my top three due to their structure and theme. Reading these feels like being in a somewhat drug-induced haze, but not in a bad way. These works are heavy with themes of death, disgust, and religion. For example, “Funeral Song” discusses death and the idea that heaven, may in fact, no longer exist. With lines like; “God died before we were born. Our grandparents felt the last of him (….) There's no heaven anymore and they'll take that to their grave.” It is easy to feel Warren’s wrestle with religion after growing up Catholic.
Another theme that Warren proposes is the idea that she is not an innately good person. This take is refreshing, as most poetry often feels like a defense against poor decision-making. This is seen in “A Paternal Expose” with prose that says: “My mother is so full of love and I am so full of darkness and I could only have gotten that from you.” This line in particular highlights her relationship with her father and the lack of light in her because of it.
Upon completing my second read-through of Warren's collection, I visited Goodreads to see what others thought of her work. I was slightly taken aback by some reviews complaining that Warren’s collection was “too curated” and relied heavily on the aesthetics she presents online. To that, I have to question if there has been a time when artists have not curated their art to fit a medium, audience, or aesthetic. Arguing that her writing and poetry are bad because she chose to make her work aesthetic is a cop-out. One review called Warren’s work “Rupi Kaur but for girls who think they aren't like other girls”, and while I can see the commenter's point of view, I have to disagree. This collection has some poems that are shorter and formatted like Kaur's, but as someone who has read her work, I do not see much similarity overall. I think that the people who write this about Warren’s work fail to realize that not all people are the same, and Warren cultivates her work to match herself intentionally.
In a broad sense, this collection is exquisite to me. I enjoyed reading poetry from someone close to my own age with familiar feelings. Her work was niche, yet relatable, which is something I struggle to find in most poetry. Warren's poetry and prose will resonate with those who enjoy the themes present in this book: devotion, devastation, obsession, and resentment.
Hi friends! My name is Ava Gladdin, and I am a second-year Journalism student minoring in Professional Writing at Kennesaw State University. I spend most of my free time reading, listening to music, and hanging out with my cat, Meow. I am passionate about writing and hope to pursue a career in the publishing industry after I graduate!
Favorite book: The Labyrinth of the Spirits by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
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