Review of Hazel the Aura's Next Hood Over
September 16, 2020
Hazel the Aura’s Next Hood Over is a book that from its opening lines “I be Philly/I be the accent ricocheting 2 1 5” bowled this bibliophile over. As these lines promise and deliver, this debut collection of poems is a celebration of Philadelphia and its citizens, particularly those who according to the dedication “never made it out of the hood.” By vividly describing her life experience in North Philadelphia, she gives a clarion call artistic shoutout to her hood, her family, and her emergence as a sensitive and perceptive artist. Honest, raw, vital are just a few of the words that adequately describe this chapbook.
In the opening poem “Fuck America!,” Hazel the Aura describes who she is utilizing the dynamic backdrop of Philadelphia. This poem calls to mind the verse of Langston Hughes or Walt Whitman in its expansiveness, an expansiveness often curtailed by the specter and erasure of gentrification:
I be closed high school turned rooftop bar
I be belly bubbling for free lunch
I be schoolchildren clogging up trolley rides
I be them puppies in strollers at Rittenhouse.
To conclude this poem, Hazel the Aura does not just stay in the present day of Philadelphia, but links herself to the past with lines “I be slaves shuffling dirt into unfreight’d railroad systems/I be the royalty who never got to be Kings or Queens.” In just one poem, this wickedly talented poet contextualizes herself in humor, sorrow, the current political moment, and the harrowing past of not just Philadelphia, but America itself.
“My Pit Bull’s Dad” is a poem whose power sneaks up on you and speaks to the current moment where, as a nation, we are grappling with the magnitude of police brutality. The lines “My Pit Bull’s Dad got shot by Philadelphia police./They kill our animals the same way they do us.” With two succinct, yet loaded, lines Hazel the Aura powerfully states that police violence spares neither humans nor their pets. At a young age, the poet learned a powerful truth: “That day I learned the news outlets lie/for the biggest headline./Larry’s brother was never a kingpin.” This powerful poem is not just an elegy for a dog; it is also an intricately worded political statement. “My Pit Bull’s Dad” ends with the staggering couplet: “My pit bull never got to meet her dad. Fathers are a prized possession in the hood.” I think this poem serves as a testament to the necessity of Hazel the Aura’s voice, and her ability to enrage you against the evils of systematic racism one moment and break your heart with lyrical tenderness in the next.
Family is another important thematic element in this chapbook. One poem is titled “Grandma Dottie’s Grocery List.” She follows this poem with “Corner Store,” a touching tribute to childhood errands that morph into special memories as time changes your view.
Sometimes I would fake sleep to avoid the store
having gone every day, sometimes 3 times.
But in the wake of mourning
I’d give all my dollars and silver coins
to travel 2 corners
with Grandma Dottie’s grocery list.
With this poem and Grandma Dottie’s own grocery list, the reader feels they know Hazel’s grandmother and are also given the poetic space to reconnect with their own grandmothers and trips down to their own corner stores.
Hazel the Aura also takes the time to settle a debate well-known to most Philadelphians and even tourists—where does one get the best cheesesteak. With her poem, “I Want a Cheesesteak,” she lets us know.
I ain’t talkin bout Geno’s or Pat’s.
Take me to the hood
where I can cop a platta
with saltpepperketchup on the fries.
This poem is more than just an ode to the glory of cheesesteaks; it also serves as an ode to her hood.
and the brotha outside delivers his siren tune:
IncenseBodyOilsCdsDVDSocksTurtles
and the pastor sends a sermon
to the people waiting for Septa.
Her love for Philadelphia is evident in this poem. You can see the sights, hear the sounds, smell the smells, and even taste the food. That is how evocative these poems are in this chapbook.
Not just this poem, but all the poems in Next Hood Over are gemstones. They shimmer, reflect, and sparkle; they contain hidden facets; they are precious and rare. She has bestowed on Philadelphia a precious and loving gift. I have had the pleasure of reading this chapbook several times. Each time I read this collection I experience that joyful feeling of seeing such a talented poet at the start of her career with so much to say already. I, for one, cannot wait to read what Hazel the Aura writes next.
Sean Hanrahan is a Philadelphian poet originally hailing from Dale City, Virginia. He is the author of the full-length collection Safer Behind Popcorn (read review here) (2019 Cajun Mutt Press) and the chapbooks Hardened Eyes on the Scan (2018 Moonstone Press) and Gay Cake (2020 Toho). He is currently at work on several literary projects as well as teaching a chapbook class. He currently serves on the Moonstone Press Editorial Board, is head poetry editor for Toho, and is workshop instructor for Green Street Poetry.