Deborah Bacharach’s Shake & Tremor enraptures with the opening poem, “When God Is a Woman.” She establishes the theology of the book by introducing its god—a woman who is knowledgeable, sure, and unafraid. The following three-part collection fleshes out this thematic idea of a progressive spirituality, marked by examinations of traditional biblical figures. Her interpretations are refreshing and sharp as she carves images of Hagar, Lot’s wife, and Sodom and Gomorrah from the perspective of modern ideas of gender, relationships, and the female body. Some poems are broad investigations of the biblical stories, mirroring our current perceptions of these themes. Poems such as “A Word for It” and “Morning Glory” comment, respectively, on the abject use of a woman’s body to bear children and invoke the raw power of women like O’Keefe. Other poems are laced with deeply personal connections that draw on moments of motherhood and navigating relationship dynamics. “Small Lies” and “Valentine’s Day with Teenager” touch on the complications of surrogacy and the anxieties of caring for children as they transition into adulthood. “Advice from the Polyamorous” and “The Polyamorous Understand You Don’t Understand” draw attention to nontraditional relationships that are often difficult to define and maintain. The unifying element of the collection is the thoughtful style in which each idea is presented. Bacharach is an impressive poet that demonstrates a strong understanding of language and dedication to clarity that results in a collection that can be appreciated for the aesthetic and vigorously studied, depending on the reader’s intent.
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