This collection is brimming with emotion as it crosses borders (figuratively and literally) to consider the experiences of (im)migration, though other themes are touched on as well, ranging from politics to sexuality. I really enjoyed how Corral fluidly moved between Spanish and English throughout this collection, never once breaking the flow from one line to the next. Something else that struck me about this collection was how Corral played a fair bit with form, which I enjoyed, but it also made his poems a bit more abstract. Lastly, while I realize his long poem, “Testaments Scratched into a Water Station Barrel,” is meant to be the centerpiece of the collection, I actually found myself enjoying his other poems more.

Overall, a meditative collection that has me interested in reading his debut collection, as well as future works. I wouldn’t say that I was floored by these poems, but I did appreciate the language and insights that Corral brought to this world.