Reviewed by Sydney Rose ||
In Grace Engine by Houston-native Joshua Burton, a collection of poems is able to follow the stories of faith and harrows all while carrying little pieces of history that make you really take into consideration the words.
With each poem having its own structure, style, and flow, a common theme is transformed in each work Burton puts on the page. Some poems are written as dedications for people, such as “Giving Jim Grace,” “Giving Mary Grace,” and others. There is almost a sense of intrusion when reading these poems meant for other people, as though these words are not for any other reader.
Burton does a very good job of packing a punch with his words. Each poem has more than one quote that sticks out and leaves your mind contemplating more than just the work. In the piece “To those who know how to unthreat oneself,” the entirety of the poem consists of just one line. “In staying alive, my decision is my indecision.” In just these eight words, Burton tells enough of a story for the reader to understand his thoughts when writing it.
In a book with poetry content, sometimes the reader can find forms or messages repetitive. That is not the case in Burton’s work.
Almost every poem adds something unique to the book, and no message feels repeated. Whether it is about himself, those close to him, an unknown target, the city of Houston, or growing up African American, there is a fresh take in every line.
Burton explores different style choices both visually on the page and in the language he chooses for each poem. Having poems like “Royal” which is written in all caps has a different impact than the poem “To those who count suicide as a spiritual warfare addendum” which molds each line with less than three words.
The connection to living in Houston is clear all throughout the pages, even more so when the city gets a direct shoutout in certain poems. Through the work, the reader will be able to tell how a city like this one impacted Burton’s experience and connections to other people.
One of the lines that stuck out to me in relation to Houston, Texas was mentioned in “Giving Jim Grace” as Burton writes, “Leaving Houston all I could see was the potential of snow.” It gave an insider perspective to those from Houston reading the work, as they know Houston isn’t really a hot spot for snow storms. Leaving this place made Burton see the potential of something new.
Understanding the poems Burton lays out comes with first understanding his definition of grace. The common word that represents itself as a theme throughout the book in each and every poem, it highlights the surrounding idea of faith. We get some idea of Burton’s take on his own faith in small portions, just like the line “my mother’s lord” in “The Mirror Myth” as a way of shifting the faith he knows onto his mother instead of in his own possession.
Burton takes on grace, he gives it to himself, he gives it to other people he cares for, he gives it an idea. The picture he paints is clear throughout each poem and the imagery used in each poem brings up strong emotions for the reader as they process their own idea of grace.
Continuing with the imagery Burton uses in Grace Engine, how he describes things and ideas brings them new meaning. The introductory poem of the novel, “The Hearing We Inherit” highlights the contrast of night being an insult and further writes “I love them like the night.” This can hold a deeper meaning, or it can be as direct as the words Burton wrote, but he does a good job of giving the reader the choice of interpretation.
A personal highlight in the book is the poem “Elegy for Threats with Grace.” From the very first line, this poem offered a hook into the story Burton was telling. The way Burton describes sitting with a word until it becomes a color, lights up a feeling of remembrance to words the reader may have sat with until it became a color. It’s an experience that Burton is able to put into words so effortlessly.
“Elegy for Threats with Grace” is everything that comes to mind when you think of poetry. The form, the flow of the language and the emotion behind the chosen style.
Grace Engine is able to evoke emotion and feelings for a reader, even if they have never experienced some of the themes Burton writes about. Joshua Burton is not just writing for himself, or one group of people, but for everyone to further their understanding and he does it beautifully.
