The Spanish names and phrases that are woven into Loretta Collins Klobah’s “Ricantations” endow it with a certain charm, even for the non-Spanish speaker like me. The poems have a lilt to them, and are clearly rooted in the Puerto Rico that is laid bare and celebrated in this volume.
The sense of place and person and history is undeniable.
Some of the poems teeter on the very edge of prose – and some, unfortunately, fail to keep their footing. But these ‘less than poetic’ morsels never fail to detract from some wonderful pieces, such as “One that got away”.
On the whole, I enjoyed “Ricantations”, even though I might struggle to say exactly why…
Ian Gouge - Writer 