Kateri Lanthier’s Siren is a collection of raw poetry about love, lust, and living. Lanthier uses the image of the mythological siren as a metaphor throughout her poems, unifying the collection in theme, and showcasing the power dynamics of loving someone,as well as loving oneself. The temptation of love is what silences our worries; or in other words, “Sirens swim the butterfly to comfort each shipwreck,” as Lanthier writes in her opening poem (13). In thecollection, Lanthier uses rich language to describe intense and raw emotions and her writing flows through the poems and off the tongue when read aloud, creating melodies, and transporting the reader into a different universe, where only Lanthier’s words exist.

One benefits considerably from reading Lanthier’s poems aloud, as the true melodious qualities of her writing come to life. In the fourth poem, “There Was Something in My Dream About a Cat,” Lanthier writes, “Our every kiss a power surge that sparked a rolling blackout. Where the bee sucks, there suck I. Swooning astride the no-fault line.”  These words, and their melodies, speak volumes more when read out loud, making for a powerful display of Lanthier’s artistry.

Lanthier’s powerful use of sensory images engages the reader’s own senses throughout Siren, which is part of what makes the collection such an all-encompassing experience for the reader. What exists on the page makes the reader feel; whether the poem focuses on love, despair,or loss. Each piece in Siren impacts the reader deeply, urging one to turn the page and devour more.