Empress of Bookingham

“...A meditation and energy exchange as I knit one, bring the yarn around and purl one, then bring the yarn over, like the complexity of our souls intertwined, like the infinite loops of delight in our love...” ~~~ I don't think there is any poem in this book that didn't touch a part of me: with the changing themes, vividness of the words conjured up by words filled with emotions and styles marking how deep the poems infiltrated my blood stream and made me high. That's was poetry that's relatable, deep, beautiful and moving does to me. From the landscapes of Zimbabwe during childhood innocent and full of dreams and desires to the streets of France living on a prayer, the poet took me through journeys both sweet and nostalgic, bitter yet enriching. Starfish Blossoms is an ode to the women that have touched Vazhure's past, those who are in her present and women of the future. In praise of our resilience, persistence, strength, growth, outgrowth, African traditions detrimental to women. And in celebration, too, of the African womanhood. Not forgetting her roots, Vazhure adds more spice to her poems with her mother tongue Shona and its folklores unapologetically. The book is infused with themes of death and grief, love and loss, traditions, freedom and stigma, independence, womanhood, resilience. One by One Rib Stitch was one of my favorites and every time I start crafting it's her and her words that I think about. Fine Wine, Tap, Sugar Beans, 528 Hz, The Phloem & Xylem of My Convalescing Spirit, Raining On You and even Death of Whatever are some of my favorite poems. To tell you I couldn't put the book down is not telling it all. I was literary salivating and swooning, leaning in and learning while I read this one. Beautiful in every scene and sense.