WARNING: This collection of poetry will send your head spinning.

4 stars out of 5
  

The Way of All Flux by Sharon Suzuki-Martinez is a modern collection of poetry that will interest readers in search of quirky poetry that they can return to again-and-again. Many of these poems reference popular culture, in the shape of zombies, dragons, and “A Shocking Display of Sexual Dimorphism.” Read a poem and two, and you would be able to add to my list.

If looking for a setting for this collection of poetry, readers will be surprised. Suzuki-Martinez takes her readers from the island of Hawaii to Arizona, from the Midwest to New York. She even inspires with the call of the common loon, Minnesota’s state bird.

What seems to tie this collection together is a deep appreciation of the small things in life. Suzuki-Martinez includes everyday items in her poetry, from cabbages to ladybugs and stars. This suggests a childlike innocence within the collection; however, this is no Shel Silverstein. 

With realistic language and eccentric imagery, Suzuki-Martinez engages readers of an age group older than most Silverstein fans. The title poem uses slang, such as “fugly.” (If you are not aware of the meaning of this term, you may ask any teen or college student.) And she flips reader expectations in her poem “Dragon Flight.” Rather than a graceful journey above the clouds, we are presented with a humorous situation on an airplane. 

Suzuki-Martinez’s first poetry collection can be read as a page turner, which for me is not common among poetry, but it is not the easy read of children’s poems meant for humor. Yes, Suzuki-Martinez successfully entertains her audience, but the quirkiness of her imagery choices suggest deeper meaning that requires readers to go back to read again, again, and yet again.