Crush (Yale Series of Younger Poets): Volume 99 Paperback – 15 April 2005

It's right that you should buy this book.There's a slight tendency within literary circles online to view the quoting of Siken as too common, to even label him as hipster. To be honest, I don't think that's true; and I would urge you not to let that stop you from buying this book. To avoid something because other people like it? I'm sorry, but that doesn't make much sense to me. You should just like things. This book certainly isn't over-hyped in this country, as you never hear Siken mentioned at all.That being said, I think it's a shame. Because this book truly is beautiful. Siken has the ability to craft painfully beautiful sentences that attach themselves to the mind for a long time. Moreover, this collection is painful to read in places, because of how truthful you can see it is. It's plain that Siken had to go through a difficult period to produce something like this, and that should not be taken for granted. I think it's rare to find poetry so startlingly genuine and unnerving.It's very difficult to choose my favourite poems, actually. Because they are all absolutely beautiful. Taken one by one, they are works of art in their own right, but together the journey through the book and the pieces is really rather like music. I can't think of much higher praise. "You Are Jeff" is bewildering, confusing like being in a nightmare; "Snow and Dirty Rain" the perfect end to the book, a truthful voice there; "Litany in Which Certain Things Are Crossed Out" is grand and sweeping and really very, very clever. The language is always beautiful.I'll leave you with one quote, which took a long time to decide on."A man takes his sadness down to the river and throws it in the riverbut then he's still leftwith the river. A man takes his sadness and throws it awaybut then he's still left with his hands."- Boot TheoryI might seem clumsy and single-songed with my praise, but I do mean it. Do buy this book.

Best poetry book I've ever read, raw emotions and evocative read. Richard Siken is an author unlike any other. I haven't found a poem of his I don't like. Incredibly inspirational and sometimes I have to sit with a poem for a bit and process everything. Best kind of poetry, I keep crush in my handbag and literally take it everywhere with me. Absolutely incredible book.

A beautifully haunting selection of poems by the great Richard Siken."Crush" is a modern take on the theme of forbidden love, which has been thoroughly explored in the literature of all periods.As mentioned in the excellently written preface, "Crush" is quite a chaotic read; it's hard and fast, you're drowning in the vivid imagery that SIken paints.An excellent read for Siken fans and poetry fans alike.

A wonderfully intimate book about love. Siken manages to turn something personal, something lived into something everyone can relate to. I felt at times, I could find myself in the lines, falling in love again or feeling the pain of loss but also simultaneously witness different experiences. Poems overflown with sentiments, you'll feel them sinking in you. Relly wonderful.

I could write so much on this collection and why I adore it, but I'll leave that for you to discover. I randomly found Siken's Crush and how grateful I am! It's superb and I would easily list him not only as my all time favourite poet, but Crush as the book I will always hold the dearest. I've read it a thousand times, have pages folded over and lines underlined. It goes everywhere with me. I love a lot of poetry and poets but this blows them all away - contemporary and other.

I've always been a fan of Richard Siken, but I had to say that this is by far my most favourite poetry book he has ever released. It's filled with such raw emotion that you can't help but be sucked in and spat back out as you turn each page. Beautifully written, and will forever be a favourite of mine.

This is a short book - just 62 pages long, but, every page is an utter delight! Richard Siken has quickly become my favourite contemporary poet, and I read a lot of poetry. I literally carry this little wonder in my handbag with me, and his poetry is always a source of inspiration. Highly recommend!

i was totally happy when i read it the first time but then i went back to it after hearing a couple of lines from ‘wishbone’ that weren’t in the book itself. i checked online in multiple places to make sure what i heard was correct and it seems like it is; there are lines cut out from the poem ‘wishbone’ and now it’s got me wondering if they did that for more poems in the book