*3.5 stars*

no swaddle is a collection of sonnets that ruminates on the question of whether or not to have children. It’s a timely collection, and one that approaches the subject from many angles.

There are several elements of this work that I appreciate. The fact that the sonnets are unnamed and thematically related creates quite an immersive reading experience. The poems flow right into each other and can end up feeling very intertwined in places. This helped me sit with the themes more, instead of viewing each poem in isolation, and I enjoyed consuming the collection in that way.

I also thought the use of language struck the right balance for my personal taste between being complex enough to be interesting without feeling unapproachable. Still, there is something missing for me from this collection that is creating a disconnect, and I’m not even sure what. It’s just part of that subjective experience with poetry when something “clicks” with you, and for whatever reason, these poems haven’t been lingering with me in my mind after I have stepped away from them. I just hoped they would have more of an emotional impact on me.

Overall, I felt like this was a cohesive collection with several beautiful poems. I think there will be a lot of people who resonate with this collection, especially if the topic is one you are interested in or have been reflecting on. Mackenzie Kozak is clearly a skilled poet, and I will definitely be on the lookout for more of her work in the future.