Once again I find myself falling down the rabbit hole. Broken mirrors and distorted pictures whirl past me as I become accustomed to the vertigo and realise that I was never really falling. It was all an illusion; a trick of the mind…or was it?
Today dear readers I am on the blog tour for The Whimsy Of Dank Ju-Ju (Published by The Emma Press) By Sascha Aurora Akhtar. A big thank you for my copy to review and to Fly On The Wall Poetry for the invite to take part in this wonderful blog tour.
About The Author
Sascha Aurora Akhtar feels deeply connected to her ancestral roots in Lancashire, South Yorkshire and Pakistan. Her first poetry collection was The Grimoire of Grimalkin (Salt, 2007), followed by 199 Japanese Names for Japanese Trees (Shearsman, 2016) & the first of its kind a deck of Poetry cards with fine art Only Dying Sparkles (ZimZalla 2018). In 2019, she has published The Whimsy Of Dank Ju-Ju (Emma Press 2019) & #LoveLikeBlood (Knives, Forks & Spoons Press 2019). Her fiction has appeared in BlazeVox, Tears In The Fence, The Learned Pig, Anti-Heroin Chic, and Storgy. Sascha has performed internationally at festivals such as the Poetry International Festival in Rotterdam, Avantgarde Festival in Hamburg, and Southbank Centre’s Meltdown festival in London, curated by Yoko Ono.
The Whimsy Of Dank Ju-Ju
Sascha Aurora Akhtar’s poems revel in the richness and possibilities of language and liminal space. Colours, tastes, textures, scents and moods are smashed together with great energy, dragging the reader into a shimmering world of magic, heat… and whimsy.
“I love a poet who loves language and Sascha Aurora Akhtar most certainly does. Each line of her poetry is a journey into the unknown as she manoeuvres her way around words and rearranges them into new verbal experiences of fascination and delight.” Geraldine Monk
My Review
Prepare yourself as Akhtar leads you to a whimsical place like nowhere you’ve ever seen before. It is an experience that is like no other and one that all should discover. The best part is you never quite know what to expect and that is what makes it all the more intriguing dear reader. Shall we?
I was delighted to see a few poems from the previous collection I had recently reviewed #LoveLikeBlood included here. They still managed to have the same impact on me that I experienced on my first reading. That, in my personal opinion is not only what makes a good poet, but a great poet. One that can still cause shockwaves to the reader upon the second or even the fiftieth read. To hold that passionate raw emotion and keep it fresh time after time. It’s a skill and one that Akhtar excels in.
Akhtar’s imagery is strong and rich. She entraps the reader in a world overflowing with colours and smells. You can reach out and feel the warmth of her poetry, the textures, the sounds. She creates her own mesmerising wonderland as things appear to be out of sorts and disconnected. Yet you know all the pieces fit, you can see it, feel it and it lures you to figure out how. Her poetry is fascinating to dive into and explore the endless possibilities.
I am not a leather rose
You are not a leaping lemon
There is a memory that has blistered
into letters on my face
I have not held a baby
There is a repose in silence
Joining hands we become
a chain of paper dolls
rippling like hair caught in the current.
I am not a Chinese ant
You are not a velvet molar
A feather-edge
A carbuncle
A season
I tread crushed ice-cubes
There is no other side.
Extract from : The Universal Mystique Of Not-Writing
One of the many things I adore about Akhtar’s poetry is her hypnotic way with language. It’s captivating to read, every sound is like a lover’s whisper across the ears. I can only imagine how satisfying these poems must sound when placed directly upon the audience of a performance. Triumphant I am sure.
Buttercream-yellow walls of rain
whistling like flowers
Heather wings hang on silken threads
falling as a rope ladder to the moon
Drifting amidst the ocular cloud-
towers, arms tower, head is a large glass bulb
Extract from : With The Faery
There is a great energy that Akhtar writes in her poetry. They can vary from an upbeat foxtrot to a slow and sensual waltz. Mixed with the emotions that Akhtar captures it is an intoxicating dance that leaves you yearning for more. Her passion is infectious and a delight to read.
I give The Whimsy Of Dank Ju-Ju By Sascha Aurora Akhtar a Four out of Five paw rating.
Once again Akhtar has taken my breath away. Her poetry is always refreshing and exciting to read. I enjoyed every minute of it and can’t wait to see what else this fantastic poet conjures up. A standing ovation for Sascha Aurora Akhtar.
Links
Buy a copy 
@AkhtarSascha
Hop hop wiggle wiggle
Bunny’s Pause 