All art is subjective and I believe that’s especially true of poetry. This one missed the mark for me, or more accurately, I wasn’t the right reader for these works. Catalogued by month from the beginning of the pandemic, the writer touches upon the many historic events that took place in 2020 - isolation, mass death, George Floyd, blackness in America (from a white author 😬), police violence, the leaderless and rudderless ship that has been the country over the last ten months, and more.

Some poems were good (see below). Some tried too hard and fell into purple prose territory. The strongest were the takes on civil rights issues. The ones that focused on the quiet of isolation or life changes due to Covid weren’t as strong for me. My favorite of the bunch, They Were Just Following Orders, is below. I wish more hit me like this one did.

The cover design needs to be redone. It looks like it was made in Word.

They Were Just Following Orders

When Caesar commanded his soldiers across the shallow waters of the Rubicon and the die was cast;

When Crusaders took up the holy cross, their pilgrimage a promise of redemption as they ravaged Jerusalem;

When Custer and his men, determined to preserve their race, rode head first into the slaughter;

When Nazis stuffed Jews into cattle cars and delivered them to their final destination where they turned on the gas spigots;

When state troopers unleashed attack dogs in Selma, National Guardsmen shot students at Kent State, and federal authorities teargassed protesters in Washington D.C. to clear the way for a photo op.



Thanks to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review

I got a digital galley of this book via NetGalley. Some of the poems were really good and some were ok. But as a collection these were good. I specially liked the poem “dear Human Race”. Some of the poems which had a word or two per line were also very nice. I haven’t read poems like that in a long time.

Also, this is not your typical collection of poems which follow the literary rules of poems but still fulfills the function of poetry - which is to make the reader think about the topics being written a bit more deeply.

This was lovely. I have been very hit or miss with poetry lately, and the words and imagery was just beautiful in this collection. Very much enjoyed spending time in this dreamy collection.

@Thanks NetGalley for giving me the access to read these kinds of poems full of love and emotions.
I loved every poem and it thrilled my heart and also my mind. I really love to read such a well written poem dedicated to love and many more. I give 5 stars to Before The After Love, Loss, and Revolution in the Time of COVID written by Mary Anne Anderson

Anderson has done well to write the emotions felt by any person in America throughout the 2020 year. We all started with a sense of interest that turned to fear that turned to loneliness, longing, and confusion as the events have unfolded. A great read and a great re-read for people wanting to recollect life in America in 2020.

So, I was really feeling these poems until I got to the sentence that made it all come crashing down hardcore - “Please, Joe, help me to regain my fervor”. Seriously? I’m anti-Trump but that doesn’t make me pro-Joe. How could a bunch of poems that were making me feel so much - like the author was reading my mind - go downhill so fast? I got really angry when I read that line. I felt betrayed. It took away from the strong beauty of the book. A man who is part of a corrupt system will not be saving you. Gaia cries to hear you think that.

Yet, after that, I am still thinking of these poems. Their messages still resonate with me during these difficult days. Thank you for that Mary Anne Anderson. I can only hope you find out one day that some man hungry for power is not on your side. Gaia is all we have. Let nature be your savior if you need one.

Thank you to Mary Anne Anderson, Keyes Canyon Press, and #NetGallery for an ARC of #BeforeTheAfter in return for an honest review. Review will be posted on NetGallery, Goodreads, and Facebook.

Before The After by Mary Anne Anderson explores life during the pandemic, and the wide range of emotions that are experienced during a confusing and unsettling time. The poems are organized according to the unfolding events and prevailing thoughts of each month, and I would second the suggestion that the collection be read straight through to experience the full impact of the poet's powerful commentary and observations. Ms Anderson has captured and articulated what so many of us are feeling during these unprecedented times, and each and every vignette resonated with me on some level. I am new to Ms Anderson's work, but would be pleased to read more.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Keyes Canyon Press for this ARC.