Book Review: Channeling Matriarchs

Channeling Matriarchs. Lynn Aprill, Finishing Line Press, August 2021, Paperback, 27 pages.

Reviewed by Sierra Kay.

Channeling Matriarchs, a collection of poems by Lynn Aprill, is a unique read that gives voice and a strong point of view to the women of the Bible. The collection delves into women's relationships with husbands, fathers, brothers, and God to speculate how the women might have felt feel about the positions they were placed in, often outside of their control.

Aprill explores the vulnerable position of women in a patriarchal Bible and the impact of that vulnerability on decision-making and faith. Aprill also explores how women's inability to make decisions for their own lives can trap them in situations that force their hands.

Channeling Matriarchs is a faith-based book. It does require a certain level of Biblical knowledge for some of the poems. Aprill provides notes in the back to flush out the content, which will be beneficial to those who need a reference.

Yet, every poem provides thought-provoking narratives which create a dialogue from which to explore each character further. Aprill's exploration of the reasons why women are placed in certain positions and how they may feel about the driving forces behind their lives is consistent. By imbuing the women of the Bible with strength and wisdom and then opening their minds, Aprill opens ours.  

In the first poem, The Fruit of the Tree, Aprill gives Eve's decision to eat the apple context by exploring the "Why" of Eve's decision.

"To be clear, I was not hunger/not in the way you think.
Yes, the fruit was ripe and red and enticing,
but for all that, it wasn't the fruit—
it was the knowledge."

That proved to be a mic drop moment that provided a level of clarity and shifted the perception of Eve. To me, it was a similar shift experienced after watching Wicked. These nuggets of clarity exist in each poem as Aprill navigates the stories of Lot's wife (Edith), Sarah, Rachel, Dinah, and others.

The poems exhibit creative thought and a deft poetic hand in exploring Biblical themes. Aprill's talent is easily recognizable. Aprill has a gift with the written word. I found the poems provocative and relevant to the continued discussion of women in society. This collection is worth reading.