Review of These Pearls are Real

The poetry collection These Pearls are Real by Carla Cherry was an enjoyable read. Through each poem, Cherry explored a different side of herself, love, her experiences in the world, black experience in the US, her observations and more. I greatly appreciated being allowed to see this glimpse of life from her perspective and definitely recommend this collection to anyone who enjoys poetry. Frankly, I think much of what she discusses is extremely important and even if you don’t like poetry, you can learn something from her.

Each poem acts as a snapshot to a specific time, scene, feeling or event. Some are grouped together and tell a story together such as the story of the relationship that bloomed near the middle of her collection. The meter varies per poem, some including dialogue, and often reads as a prose narrative. I am partial to such free verse and enjoyed the variance.

Thank you to Carla Cherry for giving me the opportunity to read her poems.