Book Review: The Jaguars That Prowl Our Dreams by Mary Mackey
I have never been an eager reader when it comes to all things written, preferring instead to write so, when I was offered a copy of Mary Mackey’s most recent poetry collection, The Jaguars That Prowl Our Dreams, in exchange for a review, I was a little hesitant to accept. But, since I always love trying something new and am never disappointed by how much I learn when I step outside my comfort zone, I decided to snatch up this chancing opportunity. Here is my book review of The Jaguars that Prowl our Dreams!
The first thing I connected with in The Jaguars that Prowl our Dreams is the author’s words from the preface: “I have resisted the urge to revise them (the poems), limiting myself to the correction of minor errors left over from the days when proofreaders used a blue pencil and a spell check involved thumbing through an unabridged dictionary.”
As a writer, nothing is harder for me then to walk away from old writing and let it stand as is, in memory of where I began. Since the poems in this book span forty-four years, I love that Mary Mackey was able to leave her writing to speak for itself and let me, the reader, watch as her writing style and exploration of topic subtly change.
The first forty-seven poems in this book are new poems split into two parts. The first part, The Culling, reminded me of Rick Bragg’s rich works of life in the deep South as the poems tell stories about the author’s Kentucky relatives. The second part, Infinite Worlds, explores the lush worlds and secrets inside us. The final part of The Jaguars that Prowl our Dreams are seventy-eight selected poems compiled from the author’s previous seven poetry books ordered from oldest to newest.
The Jaguars that Prowl our Dreams opens up with an eye-opening story about Aunt Ebbie, who shucked forty acres of corn at the age of seventy-five standing in the pouring rain despite having lost two limbs to a hog. While that sounds gruesome, as each poem flows into the next, revealing more about this woman and her family, the prose celebrates strength instead of offering up cringes.
I enjoyed the rich writing in Mary’s older poems, from explorations on what to tell a man when he tells you that you have the softest skin, to travels in the fertile Amazon, to a beautiful battlefield of regrowth during the Civil War.
Inspired by her travels in Brazil, Mary mixes several poems with phrases and lines in Portuguese (not to worry, the English translations are right there alongside each poem). The foreign language gives a new depth to the pieces as they evoke imagery of dry deserts and fertile minds. I was reminded of Alexander McCall Smith’s books of dry Botswana, Southern Africa, in Mary’s descriptions of golden, crusty land and longings for grey clouds and black nights.
Since I believe in natural beauty and honesty, I felt deeply the poems compiled from Mary’s book, Skin Deep. The first piece, Extractions, follows a girl into womanhood where “they sewed me up with silk slips and French heels” but all the spandex girdles cannot hide all she has lost from herself, though society sees her as a perfect hostess.
Since millions of people are down with fevers due to coronavirus, I was fascinated to be reading this book where many of the poems explore dream worlds and illusions. I wondered how many people awaken from their fevers to see it “broken into a thousand bits/with no way to put it back together/and I could never explain/how kind it had been/and how foolish we were to fear it.”
There is sadness in this book, a woman’s tears. There is happiness in this book, love for oneself. There are lies in this book, lies that could be truths. There is a deep love apparent for the earth and all its animals. Enter a world where “the world/becomes a pane of glass/so brittle I can break it/with my tongue” yet a world of words that is a vibrant whirlwind of emotion where woman thrives, and dancing is “the longest/foreplay/in the western/world.”
Though I enjoyed the two hundred and sixteen pages of this book as a whole, the story told within The Culling remains my favorite. I live on a rural country road, where the gravel roads are all named after settlers of long ago, so reading about life on a Kentucky farm reminded me of standing up in my neighbor’s family graveyard, listening to him tell stories about his ancestors.
The poetry in this book is not uplifting, but it is inspiring and evocative, and weaves a compelling wreath of emotions if only you will follow it to thought-provoking places. The Jaguars that Prowl our Dreams is now a book I am proud to have on my bookcase for a long time to come.
If you are so inspired, you can pick up a copy of The Jaguars That Prowl Our Dreams through Amazon, or check out Mary Mackey’s website for a further glimpse into her world of words and poetry.
Header image used with permission of the author.
travelogged_135
The book seems like a good read! Thank you for sharing your review. I’ll definitely check this out 👍
Amber Page
Wow! I loved reading this. It seems like such an interesting read it seems so different to everything I have read so far!
Amber – The Unpredicted page
Jaya Avendel
Thank you! I love that you connected with this.
Fritzie | Life Travel Soul
“The world/becomes a pane of glass/so brittle I can break it/with my tongue.”
Wow! The book does sound interesting. Glad that you tried something outside your comfort zone. Great review!
Jaya Avendel
Thank you so much!
meredithdent
This sounds like a great read! I’ve been looking to read more during quarantine — I might just have to check this out! ❤️
arianasuero
I am an avid reader always looking for a good book, and you have written such a wonderful review that now I just have to get that book.
Jaya Avendel
Thanks so much! Happy reading. 🙂
bournemouthgirl
Such a great review! You have written it so well
Melissa Kacar
I absolutely loved reading your review! I haven’t heard of it before, but I will definitely be checking it out! I love to hear you found inspiration through reading it! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
melissakacar.blogspot.com
Jaya Avendel
Thank you so much! I love knowing you enjoyed reading this piece. 🙂
glowsteady
I find it so fascinating that you’re not a natural reader, I always assume that goes hand in hand with being a writer! I’m glad you enjoyed this one after you were hesitant to accept. It sounds like a rollercoaster of different emotions x
Sophie
Jaya Avendel
One would think reading and writing go hand in hand, but sometimes we surprise ourselves. 🙂
Rayo
This book seems like a different breed from other books. I particularly like the review of the Jaguars that prowl our dreams, it reminds me of “Daughter of Molokai”. I read that book and I felt rave of emotions rush through me. I will have a look at this book. Thank you for this review
Jaya Avendel
I want to check out Daughter of Molokai now!
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts!
Rayo
Then you have to check Molokai first, that’s part 1
FN
Excellent review that truly makes one want to read the book.
Yes though much is list in translation, if the essence is conveyed it becomes a new wonder of words by itself.
Fy
I love reading poetry so this is a book I’m going to look into! Also the authors preface quote you’ve included hits the nail on the head!! I’ve always loved that concept of leaving things as you’ve written them even if you wish to change it later! Such a good review xx
Fy https://cultureeighteen.wordpress.com
Jaya Avendel
Thanks so much for connecting with this! I love that you also loved the quote from the preface.
GirlFriday
What a great review. I’ll have to check it out.
Nancy
You’re a great writer! The Jaguars That Prowl Our Dreams sounds like a great read – especially with all of the poems collected into one place. It is interesting that she mixes language within her work. Kind of reminds me of one of the songs I listen to, it samples a Portuguese love song with the trap lines haha.
The book is packed with so many emotions! Thanks for sharing your thoughts on it~
Nancy ♥ exquisitely.me
Jaya Avendel
Thanks so much! I love pieces that mix language together; sometimes I feel that many translated pieces say more in their original form. I am happy you enjoyed the review. 🙂
eob2
Very telling review. 👍🏻