Review: Side Steps Terrorizing Sound Bites by Amy Jean

A poetic guide for choosing an authentic life against a global backdrop of injustice, Side Steps Terrorizing Sound Bites by Amy Jean is a creative and powerful collection, accompanied beautifully by illustrations from Eric Savage.

With the underlying theme of taking control of one’s life, rather than being swept along with the systems in place, these poems are empowering, accusatory, curious, and fearless. The subject matter of these lyrical passages varies wildly, from the wonders of the natural world to inequality of all kinds, yet each of the poems in this extended “chime” feel carefully constructed, without wasting words.

Jean is also able to address serious and complex themes within seemingly lighthearted and short-form content, making observations on self-image or self-care in sing-song rhythms and nearly playful rhymes. The insistent rhythm of spoken-word poetry is definitely on display, tempting and teasing with linguistic tricks before a release or a gut-punch resolution. This casual and dynamic flow is contrasted with urgency in some pieces and ideas, as though they cannot be spilled out fast enough. The wavelength of energy creates tension, allowing the poet’s tongue to occasionally slash like a whip, betraying the anger and frustration underpinning this work.

The level of confidence in the poet is an interesting element to note; in some pieces, she is bold and confident, unwavering in what she believes and has learned. In other poems, she is humble and uncertain, asking more questions than answering them. This vulnerability and her spectrum of personality makes the writing more accessible, rather than a poet who claims to know all the answers or sums everything up with a perfectly tweaked line. From whimsical and playful stanzas to dark knowledge-dropping, this poetry feels spontaneous and unedited, at times.

The illustrations accompanying these short, mantra-like poems are simple, yet drawn with care, perfectly matched to their chosen pieces, providing a colorful burst on nearly every page, or a palate cleanser between poems. Some of the images are a bit on the nose, symbolically speaking, and a few larger or more abstract pieces could improve the aesthetic even more.

Many of the pieces are strong, such as “A Rare Find,” “Blue,” and “Thunder,” yet there is some room for improvement in this collection. There are numerous poems where the rhyme structure is a stretch, or feels forced, breaking the organic flow of the verse. Inconsistent meter, slant rhymes, and odd line breaks may cause stumbles for regular readers of poetry. Granted, this can feel akin to rhythmic, meditative, or chant-like writing, rather than traditional verse, but some of these issues can make the poems feel less than polished. Finally, there is an overall lack of imagery and creative description, while the use of commonplace metaphors make certain pieces seem less unique.

The obvious passion behind this work is compelling, and the flexibility of Jean’s style is impressive, for an original work overall. Though some of the poems could do with a bit more creative polish, Side Steps Terrorizing Sound Bites is an emotive and empowering collection.