A brilliantly conceived poetic feast. The poet demonstrates a remarkable breadth of knowledge and a stirring imagination full of tropes and metaphors that truly make this a great book.

Reviews

Here are the words of no return. Emanuel Kane writes about war and refugees. Here is the verse of headlines. This collection of poems is troubling. There is blood on many of the pages. It’s a reminder that the present is a dangerous place to live. Kane writes about Isis and Miriam Makeba wailing from the grave. He knows the beautiful ones have yet to be born. –E. Ethelbert Miller, Poet/Educator/Literary Activist

With powerful imagery and language, Emanuel Kane takes his readers to places where they may not want to go. No one wants to experience war, suffering and death, but the world can’t turn a blind eye to it either. Many of these poems are uncomfortable and hard to read, but poetry doesn’t have to be pretty. Kane pulls the reader from the comfort of a chair into a world of uncertainty, where many people live out their daily lives. This is not an uplifting book, but it is a call to action, a call to care for our fellow man. –Jonathan K. Rice, Editor/Publisher, Iodine Poetry Journal

Emmanuel Kane’s Growing Flames: Fury and Lavender, is a brilliantly conceived poetic feast. The poet demonstrates a remarkable breadth of knowledge and a stirring imagination full of tropes and metaphors that truly make this a great book. Kane masters the history, literature, and moral ethics that makes his poetry live in the present. Using the military and martial examples he brings truth in words to life. –Molefi Kete Asante, author of Facing South to Africa