Sacred Graffiti

In Sacred Graffiti, there are several poems of particular note. Among these are "Agapanthus, Jacaranda, Bougainvillea" (p. 38), "Step into the Mojave at Noon" (p. 49), and "Deep Inside the Silence I Hate, the Silence I Love" (p. 51). These three poems have many similarities and differences.

"Agapanthus, Jacaranda, Bougainvillea" is written in free verse. It is 42 lines long, yet is not broken up into stanzas, and its speaker has a very conversational voice. Through descriptions of various plants, the speaker discusses her feelings of displacement. "Step into the Mojave" is a concrete poem, without any rhyme scheme or metrical pattern. It is made up of five stanzas, four of which have five lines and one of which has six lines. This poem is about the desert and the fragile yet tenacious nature of life. "Deep Inside -- Love" is written in free verse, and is split up into four quatrains. It explores the feelings of stillness and solitude associated with living alone, and has pleasant yet slightly lonely qualities.

All three poems have very strong imagery, line management, and word choice. "Agapanthus, Jacaranda, Bougainvillea" uses very interesting mechanics. In some parts of the poem, the sentences are choppy and short; in others, the author uses many semicolons and commas, often resulting in commas splices. This unusual structure helps the poem flow and allows the reader to feel the emotions that the speaker is expressing. The imagery in this poem is quite lovely, and sounds as if the speaker pulled small moments out of her life and placed them in the text of the poem. Small details like "[sleeping] in guest bedrooms" (line 18) and the "graffiti signatures" (line 32) allow the reader to see the entire scene and understand how the speaker is feeling. In "Step into the Mojave," Weinberger does an excellent job with the imagery; her vividness allows the reader to see the "desiccated bones" (line 2) of the planet and the "stones in gardens" (line 22) that she describes. In each stanza of this poem, each subsequent line is pushed a bit further from the left margin than the line above it. This shape reminds the reader of "the skeleton of a planet" (lines 1-2) and the harsh, "sparse grasses" (line 8) of the desert. "Deep Inside -- Love" gives a very strong sense of the peaceful stillness of the speaker's house with phrases such as "the text of hushed contrasts" (line 3) and "the walls settling into the vault of the earth" (line 6). Its simple format is more traditional than those of the other two poems; although there is no rhyme scheme or metrical pattern, the poem is made up of four quatrains and most of the lines are enjambed.

All three of these poems could have a strong effect on certain people, yet none at all on others. Although almost everybody is able to relate to the feeling of displacement presented in "Agapanthus, Jacaranda, Bougainvillea," people who are not familiar with the titular plants may find it difficult to enjoy and connect to this poem. "Step into the Mojave at Noon" is a little difficult to understand, which may limit its audience. However, anybody who has a love for the desert or who is going through difficult times may find this poem very inspiring. "Deep Inside -- Love" is a rather exclusive poem, as extroverts are not likely to understand the pleasure of living alone and the mingled feelings of pleasure and disappointment that come when someone interrupts that solitude. However, any introvert will understand this poem and delight in the fact that the speaker feels the same way that they do.

Sacred Graffiti has a unique structure; each poem is linked to the quote given on the first page of the poem's section. Weinberger seems to have a strong grasp of the importance of unique imagery, and she is able to write about a great variety of subjects. Her ability to discuss a wide range of situations and feelings means that her poetry will appeal to almost anyone. Sacred Graffiti is an excellent collection of poetry.

Weinberger, Florence. Sacred Graffiti. Huntington Beach, CA: Tebot Bach, 2010. Print.