Khaled Mattawa's Tocqueville contains types of poems I have never encountered, such as ones that relate to events that have took place in my life. For whatever reason, in my other English classes the most contemporary poems we ever read were from the beatnik era. These poems coming from a time period in my life I can remember makes them seem a bit more relevant than other works of poetry. Mattawa's masterful tongue-in-cheek approach effectively delivers his message while simultaneously entertaining the reader. As far as I'm aware, the subjects Mattawa touches upon are not usually discussed in American poetry, making the poems a great example of how writers can approach poetry differently.
The poem that I enjoyed the most was Ecclesiastes. I'm a sucker for clever wordplay, and this poem certainly delivered. "The trick is that you're willing to help them/The rule is to sound like you're doing them a favor". Mattawa reverse the rules with the tricks, a way of commenting on the U.S.'s own tactics of foreign policy. The subtle way in which he makes jabs is quite remarkable. He manages to keep an air of mystery around his poem, while still having a strong political stance. It is almost reminiscent of some Allen Ginsberg works (Howl, America) in which the language is equally as interesting as the message.
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