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Helium
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Best Poetry (2018)2018 Goodreads Choice Awards - Best Poetry Book Finalist
Helium is the debut poetry collection by internet phenom Rudy Francisco, whose work has defined poetry for a generation of new readers. Rudy's poems and quotes have been viewed and shared millions of times as he has traveled the country and the world performing for sell-out crowds. Helium is filled with work that is simultaneously personal and political, blending love poems, self-reflection, and biting cultural critique on class, race and gender into an unforgettable whole. Ultimately, Rudy's work rises above the chaos to offer a fresh and positive perspective of shared humanity and beauty.
Helium is the debut poetry collection by internet phenom Rudy Francisco, whose work has defined poetry for a generation of new readers. Rudy's poems and quotes have been viewed and shared millions of times as he has traveled the country and the world performing for sell-out crowds. Helium is filled with work that is simultaneously personal and political, blending love poems, self-reflection, and biting cultural critique on class, race and gender into an unforgettable whole. Ultimately, Rudy's work rises above the chaos to offer a fresh and positive perspective of shared humanity and beauty.
112 pages, Paperback
First published November 28, 2017
About the author
Rudy Francisco
11 books979 followersRudy Francisco was born and raised in San Diego, California. At the age of 21, Rudy completed his B.A in Psychology and decided to continue his education by pursuing a MA in Organizational Leadership. As an artist, Rudy Francisco combines activism and poetry to enlighten the minds of those who witness his performance. Rudy eloquently absorbs the experiences of those around him, synthesizes them and converts their stories into poetry. Furthermore, Rudy has made conscious efforts to cultivate young poets and expose the youth to the genre of Spoken Word Poetry through workshops and performances at schools and community centers. Rudy has also received admiration from institutions of higher education. He has conducted guest lectures and performances at numerous colleges and universities around the nation.
In addition to his contributions to education, Rudy Francisco is also the co-host of the largest poetry venue in San Diego and has featured at countless venues and won the hearts of many with the honesty and conviction held in his words. Ultimately, Rudy's goal is to continue to assist others in harnessing their creativity while cultivating his own. Rudy Francisco is the 2009 National Underground Poetry Slam Champion, the 2010 San Diego Grand Slam Champion, the 2010 San Francisco Grand Slam Champion and the 2010 Individual World Poetry Slam Champion.
In addition to his contributions to education, Rudy Francisco is also the co-host of the largest poetry venue in San Diego and has featured at countless venues and won the hearts of many with the honesty and conviction held in his words. Ultimately, Rudy's goal is to continue to assist others in harnessing their creativity while cultivating his own. Rudy Francisco is the 2009 National Underground Poetry Slam Champion, the 2010 San Diego Grand Slam Champion, the 2010 San Francisco Grand Slam Champion and the 2010 Individual World Poetry Slam Champion.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,626 reviews
July 16, 2018
"Tell me a story
and let's laugh like it's the only
thing keeping us alive.
Play a song
and give the stereo
permission to use its
outside voice.
Let's sing loudly,
offbeat and out of tune..
Let the world know
we don't care how it sounds
because the only key we need
is already in the ignition."
(from Drive)
Poetry is indeed food for the soul. The cover of Rudy Francisco's first book of poems attracts immediate attention, but it is the poems that will slide into your thoughts and demand your attention. Divided into four sections, each roughly corresponds to a different theme. Section III was particularly good, with thoughts on race, gender and identity, deserving several reads. II is about the end of a relationship and was my least favorite. IV is perhaps about survival and hope, and I is about identity, various thoughts and falling in love, but you know how poetry is.
His style reminds me a bit of Adrienne Rich; no particular rhyme or metre, with enough unused space to let you know each word is quite chosen. There are poems in the first section that feel a little too arch, a little too self-conscious, but not often. These are probably the ones that most benefit from performance.
Still, he charmed me with 'Ouch':
"Yesterday, I injured myself
and the explanation didn't make sense.
I said, "Well, I was walking..."
and that was the end of the story.
At this age,
my body is a stranger that I
keep meeting over and over again."
Skin II was one of the poems in the section on race that I found profound in imagery and parallels, perhaps a way for the unaware to understand the burden of racial representation.
"When you are the only black man
in the whole neighborhood,
your skin is that one friend who
meets everyone before you do.
It wears a wife beater
and house shoes,
it knocks over the
neighbor's mailbox,
it cusses in front of the kids
and plays the music too loud
but you actually don't do
any of those things."
I also really loved Accent
and how it connected culture with food:
"My mother's accent is
the most popular brand
of salt in her country.
She gently sprinkles a little on
every word before she allows
them to pass her lips.
This is a ceremony that happens
every time she has something to say"
It turns out Francisco gained fame as a spoken word poet. Here's a performance of his interesting, insightful and painful self-poem, 'My Honest Poem': https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=...
It's very interesting, listening to the emotion and speed of his words, as I imagine them in a much deeper, slower cadence. There appears to be more humor than I would have expected, although perhaps the audience is just aware of rawness, and the laughs are uncomfortable, or supportive; I don't know. But I think I prefer the voice in my head.
Two of the most moving poems in section III are on YouTube. 'Adrenaline Rush' takes a hard look at white privilege and gets a very deservedly hushed reception. It's an extremely powerful, truthful poem and his performance is riveting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jh09j...
I loved The Heart and the Fist when I read it, but the performance was equally breathtaking: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IHYA...
One of the only modern poetry books I've been inspired to purchase. Highly recommended. Remaining on my 'currently reading' list so I can keep picking it up. Note: all poems quoted are partial, but unedited.
and let's laugh like it's the only
thing keeping us alive.
Play a song
and give the stereo
permission to use its
outside voice.
Let's sing loudly,
offbeat and out of tune..
Let the world know
we don't care how it sounds
because the only key we need
is already in the ignition."
(from Drive)
Poetry is indeed food for the soul. The cover of Rudy Francisco's first book of poems attracts immediate attention, but it is the poems that will slide into your thoughts and demand your attention. Divided into four sections, each roughly corresponds to a different theme. Section III was particularly good, with thoughts on race, gender and identity, deserving several reads. II is about the end of a relationship and was my least favorite. IV is perhaps about survival and hope, and I is about identity, various thoughts and falling in love, but you know how poetry is.
His style reminds me a bit of Adrienne Rich; no particular rhyme or metre, with enough unused space to let you know each word is quite chosen. There are poems in the first section that feel a little too arch, a little too self-conscious, but not often. These are probably the ones that most benefit from performance.
Still, he charmed me with 'Ouch':
"Yesterday, I injured myself
and the explanation didn't make sense.
I said, "Well, I was walking..."
and that was the end of the story.
At this age,
my body is a stranger that I
keep meeting over and over again."
Skin II was one of the poems in the section on race that I found profound in imagery and parallels, perhaps a way for the unaware to understand the burden of racial representation.
"When you are the only black man
in the whole neighborhood,
your skin is that one friend who
meets everyone before you do.
It wears a wife beater
and house shoes,
it knocks over the
neighbor's mailbox,
it cusses in front of the kids
and plays the music too loud
but you actually don't do
any of those things."
I also really loved Accent
and how it connected culture with food:
"My mother's accent is
the most popular brand
of salt in her country.
She gently sprinkles a little on
every word before she allows
them to pass her lips.
This is a ceremony that happens
every time she has something to say"
It turns out Francisco gained fame as a spoken word poet. Here's a performance of his interesting, insightful and painful self-poem, 'My Honest Poem': https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=...
It's very interesting, listening to the emotion and speed of his words, as I imagine them in a much deeper, slower cadence. There appears to be more humor than I would have expected, although perhaps the audience is just aware of rawness, and the laughs are uncomfortable, or supportive; I don't know. But I think I prefer the voice in my head.
Two of the most moving poems in section III are on YouTube. 'Adrenaline Rush' takes a hard look at white privilege and gets a very deservedly hushed reception. It's an extremely powerful, truthful poem and his performance is riveting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jh09j...
I loved The Heart and the Fist when I read it, but the performance was equally breathtaking: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IHYA...
One of the only modern poetry books I've been inspired to purchase. Highly recommended. Remaining on my 'currently reading' list so I can keep picking it up. Note: all poems quoted are partial, but unedited.
February 14, 2019
I’m not a big poetry reader but I thought Helium was fairly solid. Francisco’s style is very much an overload of metaphors, which people might get tired of but I personally enjoyed it. The way he pieces them together and gives anecdotes for double meanings makes the journey of going through each poem interesting. In particular, I appreciated the way he talks about the struggles of his black identity and realization of his toxic masculinity. The main caveat I had was that he often writes about women he barely knows as some ethereal creature (a girl he sees at Starbucks, a girl he’s in a FWB relationship with, etc). This makes him seem like another self-pitying male writer who overly romanticizes women and only likes the idea of them without actually knowing them. I prefer the poems where he's talking about or criticizing his own identity because that's actually grounded in what he knows about himself.
March 5, 2018
Q:
I hope there is something
beautiful on the horizon
that’s just as impatient as I am.
Something so eager,
it wants to meet me halfway.
A moment that is diligently
staring at its watch, trembling with
nervousness, frustrated,
and bursting at the seams,
wondering what’s taking me
so long to arrive. (c)
Somehow, this resonated with me.
Q: Do you know the human body is approximately
sixty percent water? When I walk into a room
full of people, all I see is an ocean. (с)
Q:
Page
It just sits there, with a mouth
full of entitlement, staring at you
and wondering why it is still
not a masterpiece. (c)
Q:
Let the world know
we don’t care how it sounds
because the only key we need
is already in the ignition. (c)
Q:
My hobbies include: editing my life story,
hiding behind metaphors,
and trying to convince my shadow (c)
Q:
In 1983, illusionist David Copperfield
made the Statue of Liberty disappear.
He placed a curtain in front of the monument
and when he pulled it down the 3,000-foot
statue was no longer there.
I think about how this magic trick
has become too familiar. Liberty
just vanishing without any explanations. (c)
Q:
“Welcome to the family. Wow.
You sure know how to make an entrance.” (c)
Q:
Remember,
every year
two million people die of dehydration.
So it doesn’t matter if
the glass is half full or half empty.
There’s water in the cup.
Drink it and stop complaining.
...
When your shoulders are heavy
stand up straight and call it exercise.
Life is a gym membership
with a really complicated cancellation policy. (c)
Q:
That night, I walked in my sleep, I slept in my walk, I walked backwards until I saw you for the first time... (c)
Q:
I whispered your name in the wind, hoping somehow, maybe some way, my voice would reach you, but it didn’t, and I died. (c)
Q:
I have this envelope. ... I think most of them are still alive. (c)
Q:
I whispered you stardust. (c)
I hope there is something
beautiful on the horizon
that’s just as impatient as I am.
Something so eager,
it wants to meet me halfway.
A moment that is diligently
staring at its watch, trembling with
nervousness, frustrated,
and bursting at the seams,
wondering what’s taking me
so long to arrive. (c)
Somehow, this resonated with me.
Q: Do you know the human body is approximately
sixty percent water? When I walk into a room
full of people, all I see is an ocean. (с)
Q:
Page
It just sits there, with a mouth
full of entitlement, staring at you
and wondering why it is still
not a masterpiece. (c)
Q:
Let the world know
we don’t care how it sounds
because the only key we need
is already in the ignition. (c)
Q:
My hobbies include: editing my life story,
hiding behind metaphors,
and trying to convince my shadow (c)
Q:
In 1983, illusionist David Copperfield
made the Statue of Liberty disappear.
He placed a curtain in front of the monument
and when he pulled it down the 3,000-foot
statue was no longer there.
I think about how this magic trick
has become too familiar. Liberty
just vanishing without any explanations. (c)
Q:
“Welcome to the family. Wow.
You sure know how to make an entrance.” (c)
Q:
Remember,
every year
two million people die of dehydration.
So it doesn’t matter if
the glass is half full or half empty.
There’s water in the cup.
Drink it and stop complaining.
...
When your shoulders are heavy
stand up straight and call it exercise.
Life is a gym membership
with a really complicated cancellation policy. (c)
Q:
That night, I walked in my sleep, I slept in my walk, I walked backwards until I saw you for the first time... (c)
Q:
I whispered your name in the wind, hoping somehow, maybe some way, my voice would reach you, but it didn’t, and I died. (c)
Q:
I have this envelope. ... I think most of them are still alive. (c)
Q:
I whispered you stardust. (c)
June 12, 2018
"My hobbies include: editing my life story, hiding behind metaphors, and trying to convince my shadow that I'm someone worth following."
Wow, this was beautiful, the poems are so lyrical and have an emotional punch. This collection of poems discusses many social issues like sexism, racism, mental health, religion, etc. I especially love the poems about "being black in America" were very eye opening. Like this one here:
"Being black is one of the most extreme sports in America. We don't need to invent new ways of risking our lives because the old ones have been working for decades."
I also love the poems about water and how scarce it is becoming, and wondering whether or not future generations will know water the same way we do. I also loved the romantic poems and the poems about his Mother. I especially liked this poem:
"However, she makes everything feel like midnight. The streets are empty and her car is the only one on the road."
I only knocked off a star because of some cliche-writing or cheesy poems that felt like they didn't belong in this collection, things like this: "Cupid is irresponsible and I'm tired of him using me for target practice."
But other than that, I really loved it. This is a gorgeous collection of poems that is very beuatifully written and thought provoking.
February 12, 2021
Like a lot of people, I really enjoyed Amanda Gorman's poem for Biden's Innauguration. It inspired me to pick up some poetry, starting with this!
Most of the poems within aren't particularly long, and sometimes the shortest ones packed the most punch. For example here's the entire poem for "How Did You Lose Her?":
I felt trapped,
but another man
looked at my prison
and called her a church.
Who would choose to be a jail
when given the option
of being a sanctuary?
See what I mean? This is sure to strike home for a lot of people. Most of the poems are longer than that, and certain parts really stood out to me. Especially this line from "Rifle II":
...and isn't that what masculinity has become?
A bunch of dudes afraid of their own feelings,
terrified of any emotion other than anger,
yelling at the shadows on the wall,
but still haven't realized
that we're the ones standing in front of the light.
Now, I am not much for poetry generally, so I am not a connoisseur by any stretch of the imagination. But this collection felt very relatable and struck some chords in me. In particular, these are the poems I really enjoyed in the order that they appeared:
How Did You Lose Her?
To You
Skin II
To the Man Standing on the Corner Holding the Sign That Said "God Hates Gays"
Rifle II
I Bet the Trees Are Thinking
Mercy
Complainers.
I read just a couple of poems a day because I wanted to give myself time to really think on them, but you could read this whole thing easily in a day. So go ahead and pick this one up if you feel in the mood for trying out some poetry. I don't think you will be disappointed!
Most of the poems within aren't particularly long, and sometimes the shortest ones packed the most punch. For example here's the entire poem for "How Did You Lose Her?":
I felt trapped,
but another man
looked at my prison
and called her a church.
Who would choose to be a jail
when given the option
of being a sanctuary?
See what I mean? This is sure to strike home for a lot of people. Most of the poems are longer than that, and certain parts really stood out to me. Especially this line from "Rifle II":
...and isn't that what masculinity has become?
A bunch of dudes afraid of their own feelings,
terrified of any emotion other than anger,
yelling at the shadows on the wall,
but still haven't realized
that we're the ones standing in front of the light.
Now, I am not much for poetry generally, so I am not a connoisseur by any stretch of the imagination. But this collection felt very relatable and struck some chords in me. In particular, these are the poems I really enjoyed in the order that they appeared:
How Did You Lose Her?
To You
Skin II
To the Man Standing on the Corner Holding the Sign That Said "God Hates Gays"
Rifle II
I Bet the Trees Are Thinking
Mercy
Complainers.
I read just a couple of poems a day because I wanted to give myself time to really think on them, but you could read this whole thing easily in a day. So go ahead and pick this one up if you feel in the mood for trying out some poetry. I don't think you will be disappointed!
June 3, 2020
Edit: As amazing, as revelatory, and as earth-shakingly brilliant as this collection is, watching the author perform these poems is a new dimension altogether. Adrenaline Rush can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jh09j...
It's a shame it's only growing more relevant as time passes.
Finally, finally - here's a poetry book that really lived up to the hype.
Evocative and beautiful, this is a short collection but it packs a punch and covers a wide range of topics - there's a lot of love, from inception to infatuation to heartbreak, but the author isn't shy of straying into more political topics.
Every word felt authentic and heartfelt. I'll be very interested to see what comes next.
It's a shame it's only growing more relevant as time passes.
Finally, finally - here's a poetry book that really lived up to the hype.
Evocative and beautiful, this is a short collection but it packs a punch and covers a wide range of topics - there's a lot of love, from inception to infatuation to heartbreak, but the author isn't shy of straying into more political topics.
Every word felt authentic and heartfelt. I'll be very interested to see what comes next.
January 24, 2021
Jan 2021: I love this book so much.
May 2018: I will read/listen to anything this man writes. Complainers and Yes were my favorite pieces of work. I HIGHLY recommend for poetry lovers and novices alike. 🙌🏼
May 2018: I will read/listen to anything this man writes. Complainers and Yes were my favorite pieces of work. I HIGHLY recommend for poetry lovers and novices alike. 🙌🏼
October 28, 2017
Raw and unflinchingly honest, these poems—especially those on racism and other social issues—land like sucker punches in the stomach. Read them and open your eyes if you haven’t already.
November 4, 2020
Beautiful beautiful beautiful.
An everyday inspiration but also a political statement.
An everyday inspiration but also a political statement.
November 17, 2017
4.5 Stars
My reflections on each part.
I
Rudy Francisco is a ray of light with hopeful, humorous words and a positive outlook. There’s a light-hearted banter here that in no way diminishes the quality or meaning of his message.
His poems still talk of new love, of a life unfinished, and of finding his way, but there is something refreshing about the way he writes.
II
As good as he is at writing about optimism, he’s even better at writing about loss. His poems Vanish, Scars, and Museum struck a cord with me. This section is bleak in the best way. Rudy’s able to look at or experience a situation and beautifully, sometimes metaphorically, emotionalize it. From the few spoken word videos of his I’ve seen, I wasn’t expecting this. But I loved it.
III
I would call this the social issues section but that seems to trivialize how inspired and real these pieces are. Topics range from racism to masculinity and more. Rudy makes his experiences relatable, his thoughts coherent, and his verses flow in this section.
IV
A few last thoughts, a quick look at family, and a wrap up of a great collection of poetry.
My reflections on each part.
I
Rudy Francisco is a ray of light with hopeful, humorous words and a positive outlook. There’s a light-hearted banter here that in no way diminishes the quality or meaning of his message.
His poems still talk of new love, of a life unfinished, and of finding his way, but there is something refreshing about the way he writes.
II
As good as he is at writing about optimism, he’s even better at writing about loss. His poems Vanish, Scars, and Museum struck a cord with me. This section is bleak in the best way. Rudy’s able to look at or experience a situation and beautifully, sometimes metaphorically, emotionalize it. From the few spoken word videos of his I’ve seen, I wasn’t expecting this. But I loved it.
III
I would call this the social issues section but that seems to trivialize how inspired and real these pieces are. Topics range from racism to masculinity and more. Rudy makes his experiences relatable, his thoughts coherent, and his verses flow in this section.
IV
A few last thoughts, a quick look at family, and a wrap up of a great collection of poetry.
April 5, 2022
2.5 stars
There were a few good ones that had a wow factor or made me chuckle, but overall, they weren't for me.
There were a few good ones that had a wow factor or made me chuckle, but overall, they weren't for me.
September 16, 2021
"Mercy"
She asks me to kill the spider.
Instead, I get the most
peaceful weapons I can find.
I take a cup and a napkin.
I catch the spider, put it outside
and allow it to walk away.
If I am ever caught in the wrong place
at the wrong time, just being alive
and not bothering anyone,
I hope I am greeted
with the same kind of mercy.
She asks me to kill the spider.
Instead, I get the most
peaceful weapons I can find.
I take a cup and a napkin.
I catch the spider, put it outside
and allow it to walk away.
If I am ever caught in the wrong place
at the wrong time, just being alive
and not bothering anyone,
I hope I am greeted
with the same kind of mercy.
March 21, 2019
Rudy Francisco has a visceral voice guaranteed to reverberate somewhere in your soul. His poems are lyrical and maintain a delicate balance between light, ephemeral prose and heavy hitting slam dunks.
A brief 96 pages, I can see myself revisiting my highlights in the future, or at least snooping on his Instagram: @RudyFrancisco.
I have solar-powered confidence
and a battery-operated smile.
My hobbies include: editing my life story,
hiding behind metaphors,
and trying to convince my shadow
that I'm someone worth following.
A few of my favorites:
Instructions
Gather your mistakes,
rinse them with honesty
and self-reflection,
let dry until you can see every choice
and the regret
becomes brittle,
cover the
entire surface
in forgiveness,
remind yourself
that you are human
and this too
is a gift.
Silence
I'm learning
that I don't always
have to make noise
to be seen,
that even my silence
has a spine, a rumble
and says, I'm here
in its native tongue.
Page
It just sits there, with a mouth
full of entitlement, staring at you
and wondering why it is still
not a masterpiece.
A brief 96 pages, I can see myself revisiting my highlights in the future, or at least snooping on his Instagram: @RudyFrancisco.
I have solar-powered confidence
and a battery-operated smile.
My hobbies include: editing my life story,
hiding behind metaphors,
and trying to convince my shadow
that I'm someone worth following.
A few of my favorites:
Instructions
Gather your mistakes,
rinse them with honesty
and self-reflection,
let dry until you can see every choice
and the regret
becomes brittle,
cover the
entire surface
in forgiveness,
remind yourself
that you are human
and this too
is a gift.
Silence
I'm learning
that I don't always
have to make noise
to be seen,
that even my silence
has a spine, a rumble
and says, I'm here
in its native tongue.
Page
It just sits there, with a mouth
full of entitlement, staring at you
and wondering why it is still
not a masterpiece.
May 29, 2020
By far the best poetry collection I’ve read - this was brilliant. Review to come <3
Read
January 2, 2020My first read of the year! I have had this collection recommended to me time and time again and it did not disappoint! The collection is split into four sections, each with a decidedly different tone but all incredibly thought-provoking and beautifully written. Rudy Francisco covers a range of topics and emotions from race to love, from sexism to imposter syndrome, and everything in-between. I loved every moment of the journey and this has definitely become one of my favourite poetry collections.
May 22, 2018
1.5 - I really wanted to write an articulate savaging of this inexplicably popular collection, but there is just too much material to work with. Instead, I'll leave you with this highlight:
She has violin strings for legs,
a graveyard of awkward treble clefs buried in her knees
and I can see the suffering inside of the concert of her walk.
🖕🏻
I mean, Francisco's got a good shot at winning next year's middle school poetry slam, so there's that.
She has violin strings for legs,
a graveyard of awkward treble clefs buried in her knees
and I can see the suffering inside of the concert of her walk.
🖕🏻
I mean, Francisco's got a good shot at winning next year's middle school poetry slam, so there's that.
January 9, 2018
Phenomenal collection of poetry. I can’t wait to gather my thoughts into a coherent review. Just...wow.
December 9, 2018
In the narrative of a gawky, frustrated and heartbroken guy from high school scribbling love poems and shit.
November 19, 2018
Update: this book shouldn’t have been eliminated from the Goodreads 2018 poetry awards.
This has to be one of the best books I’ve read this year. The poetry is so relatable, reassuring, heartbreaking, light, inspirational, etc.
Loved it.
This has to be one of the best books I’ve read this year. The poetry is so relatable, reassuring, heartbreaking, light, inspirational, etc.
Loved it.
August 29, 2019
reading this book for the second time, my appreciation for it only grew more. it is amazing.
One of my new year resolutions was to read more poetry well it is the only thing I actually did. I read a lot of poetry books this year and while I am not a critique I can say that this book was one of the best poetry books that I've read so far, if it wasn't THE best.
I found it very relatable and the parts that wasn't I nevertheless enjoyed. I'm glad I decided to read it.
One of my new year resolutions was to read more poetry well it is the only thing I actually did. I read a lot of poetry books this year and while I am not a critique I can say that this book was one of the best poetry books that I've read so far, if it wasn't THE best.
I found it very relatable and the parts that wasn't I nevertheless enjoyed. I'm glad I decided to read it.
December 22, 2022
From When People Ask How I’m Doing
I want to say,
this sadness is the only clean shirt I have left
and my washing machine has been broken for months,
but I’d rather not ruin someone’s day with my tragic honesty
so instead I treat my face like a pumpkin.
I pretend that it’s Halloween.
I carve it into something acceptable.
I laugh and I say,
“I’m doing alright.”
I want to say,
this sadness is the only clean shirt I have left
and my washing machine has been broken for months,
but I’d rather not ruin someone’s day with my tragic honesty
so instead I treat my face like a pumpkin.
I pretend that it’s Halloween.
I carve it into something acceptable.
I laugh and I say,
“I’m doing alright.”
December 31, 2020
This one is really good👍
I love the way how the lines keep expressing themselves in a flow : really inspiring with positive vibes all around the words.
Even though the lines talk about racism (being a black) and life struggles on a daily basis, everything about the book gives something bright and sunny.
I feel so satisfied after reading this one.
So worth it👍
I love the way how the lines keep expressing themselves in a flow : really inspiring with positive vibes all around the words.
Even though the lines talk about racism (being a black) and life struggles on a daily basis, everything about the book gives something bright and sunny.
I feel so satisfied after reading this one.
So worth it👍
May 30, 2018
Hello there! It’s me, Chronically-Late-to-the-Party. This is what I get for not keeping up with the poetry circuit, I suppose. Helium popped up in my GR updates feed with a cover that made me look twice, and an endorsement in the review that had me kicking up a trail of dust in my fast-track to the library. It’s just as good as promised.
Rudy Francisco’s work is clear and incisive. He wields his words like razor blades, cutting away to the core of all those moments in our lives that catch the light and say “Here I am. This is true. Notice me.”
This is poetry that’s meant to be read out loud. Take your time. Savor it. It’s kind of like a breath-mint for society’s ills. Or maybe just a well-deserved slap. Depends on the poem.
Alright, I’ll stop torturing you with bad similes. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go buy a copy of this for myself.
Rudy Francisco’s work is clear and incisive. He wields his words like razor blades, cutting away to the core of all those moments in our lives that catch the light and say “Here I am. This is true. Notice me.”
This is poetry that’s meant to be read out loud. Take your time. Savor it. It’s kind of like a breath-mint for society’s ills. Or maybe just a well-deserved slap. Depends on the poem.
Alright, I’ll stop torturing you with bad similes. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go buy a copy of this for myself.
March 2, 2018
"I died early. I died young with breadcrumbs in my hand, so they buried me and when they buried me, they put these coins over my eyes, and I used them as bus fare to get back to Earth, just so I can look for you"
April 13, 2018
As always, in order to get out of my reading slump, I needed to read some poetry, and I was drawn to this collection because of Nour’s review!
This was such a delight to read, not disappointing at all. I loved this book!
This was such a delight to read, not disappointing at all. I loved this book!
Read
November 30, 2019Too old for this sort of poetry. Over exposure towards a bunch of crappy poems on the internet is to be blamed for. They all sound so so similar that neither could I not resonate nor could I differentiate.
Stopped almost midway.
Stopped almost midway.
April 23, 2018
Review soon.
Read
December 15, 2017Rudy Francisco is a black spoken-word poet from San Diego. His book has about sixty poems, a mix of longer poems (about 1-3 pages) with quick 1-2 line poems. This is love poetry—sensual passages dot the text. This is also no-holds-barred protest poetry. It made me say “F**k yes.”
Yet from the first page, I was also chuckling. The book has genuine laughs, and some poems have creative points of view—for example, “the day has been asking about you.” Reading the whole thing was an experience—the poems are carefully ordered, and you can see the narrator’s growth from the first poem to the last poem. Early in the book, after a couple of love poems, I made a note to myself: “These poems felt somewhat generic—about how woman makes the poet feel, not about her in any specifics…” But—hang in there, reader! The narrator figures this out about himself, too.
The narrator’s growing into a different man. He figures out (in my words, not his) that he’s been taught to treat women as interchangeable. “We often forget that sexism is a family heirloom that we’ve been passing down for generations,” he notes. For his own sake, as well as the sake of women, the narrator strives to live differently.
Some favorite poems: “To You,” “And Then After,” “Skin II,” “Liberty” (just—wow), “Rifle II,” “In the Voice of Hip-Hop,” “Strong,” and “I Bet the Trees Are Thinking.” Francisco is writing about experiences of anxiety and depression (though he uses those labels sparingly) and the specific anxieties of blackness and masculinity.
Read “My Honest Poem” to learn about Mr. Francisco’s personal story. Read the poem “To You,” about how sexism gaslights women, to its phenomenal last line.
Francisco’s main metaphor is water. Water kills and drowns. It’s to be feared, as water or love. Helium (words? hot air from love poems? for sure, the book title) is escape, a way to break the surface of toxic masculinity—firmly entangled with racism—and breathe. Water is old, sexist ways. (I’m still admiring the line, “I held you the way a boat holds water.”) Water might be people in general. Water causes anxiety, or it is also anxiety. Waves are water and an outdated (hair) style for black men. Yet water is also scarce and disappearing, as in California droughts worsened by climate change. It’s precious, as in a half-empty glass. Drink or you’ll die, because water is life.
And read, read, read.
Bonus quotes from HELIUM, by Rudy Francisco…
Yet from the first page, I was also chuckling. The book has genuine laughs, and some poems have creative points of view—for example, “the day has been asking about you.” Reading the whole thing was an experience—the poems are carefully ordered, and you can see the narrator’s growth from the first poem to the last poem. Early in the book, after a couple of love poems, I made a note to myself: “These poems felt somewhat generic—about how woman makes the poet feel, not about her in any specifics…” But—hang in there, reader! The narrator figures this out about himself, too.
The narrator’s growing into a different man. He figures out (in my words, not his) that he’s been taught to treat women as interchangeable. “We often forget that sexism is a family heirloom that we’ve been passing down for generations,” he notes. For his own sake, as well as the sake of women, the narrator strives to live differently.
Some favorite poems: “To You,” “And Then After,” “Skin II,” “Liberty” (just—wow), “Rifle II,” “In the Voice of Hip-Hop,” “Strong,” and “I Bet the Trees Are Thinking.” Francisco is writing about experiences of anxiety and depression (though he uses those labels sparingly) and the specific anxieties of blackness and masculinity.
Read “My Honest Poem” to learn about Mr. Francisco’s personal story. Read the poem “To You,” about how sexism gaslights women, to its phenomenal last line.
Francisco’s main metaphor is water. Water kills and drowns. It’s to be feared, as water or love. Helium (words? hot air from love poems? for sure, the book title) is escape, a way to break the surface of toxic masculinity—firmly entangled with racism—and breathe. Water is old, sexist ways. (I’m still admiring the line, “I held you the way a boat holds water.”) Water might be people in general. Water causes anxiety, or it is also anxiety. Waves are water and an outdated (hair) style for black men. Yet water is also scarce and disappearing, as in California droughts worsened by climate change. It’s precious, as in a half-empty glass. Drink or you’ll die, because water is life.
And read, read, read.
Bonus quotes from HELIUM, by Rudy Francisco…
December 13, 2022
واقعا دوستش ندارم. نمیدونمم چرا ولی به سختی خوندمش که فقط به ته برسه. خیلی از شعراش حتی شعر نبود و اوناییم که بود رو چندان د��ست نداشتم.
البته همونطور که از امتیازش معلومه خیلیا دوستش داشتن ولی خب...من جزو اون خیلیا نبودم.
البته همونطور که از امتیازش معلومه خیلیا دوستش داشتن ولی خب...من جزو اون خیلیا نبودم.
January 5, 2018
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.
For starters I want to mention that I don't normally read poetry, it's definitely not my genre and I tend to avoid it. And still, I'm so glad to have read this book.
The book is divided into four sections that don't have an specific name or them but I decided to group together according to the things they made me feel.
Part I is about a shattered man and how he's hurting and dealing with the pain in his daily life. It felt so personal and I found myself deeply connected to the author through his poetry.
"I take my compliments the same way I take my coffee. I don’t drink coffee" from Sip.
Part II is about an ended relationship and a broken heart. This one felt too personal almost like getting into somebody's mind. I wasn't that comfortable about that experience but managed to keep going because the poems are beautiful.
"I found you, looking like a damaged wine glass. I hugged your shatter. I cut all of my fingers trying to jigsaw puzzle you back together.
When it was over, you looked at the stains on the carpet and blamed me for making a mess." from Mess
Part III is probably my favorite one, is a big slap in the face of reality that we tend to try and forget. It's about war, violence, racism, the environment, the author manages them flawlessly and although I loved every poem they were also terrifying because it's a nightmare to open your eyes and realize that the monsters are still there.
"I wonder if my grandkids will ever throw a penny in a fountain and hear it splash." from Roulette
Part IV is about forgiveness and peace, sending a never ending meassage of hope that reminds me all the good things in the world, and as long as they're here, we will keep fighting.
“You are still alive.” You are still alive. So act like it" from Complainers
For starters I want to mention that I don't normally read poetry, it's definitely not my genre and I tend to avoid it. And still, I'm so glad to have read this book.
The book is divided into four sections that don't have an specific name or them but I decided to group together according to the things they made me feel.
Part I is about a shattered man and how he's hurting and dealing with the pain in his daily life. It felt so personal and I found myself deeply connected to the author through his poetry.
"I take my compliments the same way I take my coffee. I don’t drink coffee" from Sip.
Part II is about an ended relationship and a broken heart. This one felt too personal almost like getting into somebody's mind. I wasn't that comfortable about that experience but managed to keep going because the poems are beautiful.
"I found you, looking like a damaged wine glass. I hugged your shatter. I cut all of my fingers trying to jigsaw puzzle you back together.
When it was over, you looked at the stains on the carpet and blamed me for making a mess." from Mess
Part III is probably my favorite one, is a big slap in the face of reality that we tend to try and forget. It's about war, violence, racism, the environment, the author manages them flawlessly and although I loved every poem they were also terrifying because it's a nightmare to open your eyes and realize that the monsters are still there.
"I wonder if my grandkids will ever throw a penny in a fountain and hear it splash." from Roulette
Part IV is about forgiveness and peace, sending a never ending meassage of hope that reminds me all the good things in the world, and as long as they're here, we will keep fighting.
“You are still alive.” You are still alive. So act like it" from Complainers
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