Some of us take the most common path, longing to indulge ourselves into that mystical world of adult choices and decisions, only to be misled and disappointed. Poet Brittany Watson, on the other hand, has chosen the path less traveled, developing a wise spiritual maturity at a young age. THE WORLD FIVE FEET ABOVE GROUND is her poetic reflection of that path and is an encouraging collection.

A student of Morgan State University, in Baltimore, MD, Ms. Watson's poetic style presents very clear imagery and truthful delivery that remains engaging. She observes her world and interactions, providing a simple, but poignant reflection of the irony in life. The majority of her works were refreshingly engaging and I found myself smiling as I read her observations and conclusions.

While I enjoyed the entire collection, the following poems piqued my interest: "Will Power", "Should I Justify Myself", and "A New Mexican Murder". In "Her Story", I enjoyed the tribute, although I wished Ms. Watson had found some inspiration in Black heroines as well. In "Still Wondering", her poetic female challenge is a sharp contrast to the introspective rhythm of many of the other works. In "Loving Me Is Emergency" and "Juice" her sudden dip into slightly sensual relationship longing is an unexpected twist. And "Booty Trapped" nicely completes the collection with a witty and sarcastic warning about being objectified as eye candy.

THE WORLD FIVE FEET ABOVE GROUND is an engaging first collection and, hopefully, just the beginning of literary works from Brittany Watson.

Reviewed by *Guest Reviewer A. Kai
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers