Jane Muschenetz’s Power Point (Sheila-Na-Gig Editions, 2024) is for those who want to know more and better process facts around gender oppression. In her chapbook, Muschenetz uses statistics to break down the systemic barriers to living as a woman navigating health, violence, and motherhood.
Power Point is appropriately themed with a wealth of shapes, colors, and symbolism. Muschenetz presents statistics through visually pleasing bar graphs and familiar silhouettes intentionally structured after words and images representing topics like childbirth, gun violence, and rape.
As I read Muschenetz’s research turned to poetry on very sobering issues, I remembered that these statistics are usually ignored and devalued, sometimes even justified. For some people, their first instinct is to deny or justify statistics instead of questioning why a figure might be accurate after all. The statistical information presented was not new to me, but I felt a deep sense of urgency as I always do when reading these things. How can we get everyone to take these disparities seriously? What I gather most from this chapbook is that it all depends on what you believe, what you care about, and evaluating your capacity to care for the safety of at-risk persons. Muschenetz has combined the charm and comfort of browsing a really good piece of informative digital media with the tone of a seasoned diarist. These poems are gripping and educational.
Two versions of care show up in this book, whether by direct mention or figuratively: first, a sense of empathy and urgency for life-threatening socio-political issues, and second, caregiving. Specifically, the act of caregiving convinces the brain to keep moving or to keep quiet, and then eventually, toward the end, learning to care for oneself in spite of pressure. In Muschenetz’s “Family talking points,” we see that caregiving, to an extent, can be a form of silence and/or distraction from a bigger disturbance at the dinner table. The disturbance in this instance is the quintessential ‘confidently uninformed uncle type’ many readers are familiar with. Muschenetz writes:
“Eventually, a cousin (the “Sweet One”) remembers Grandma,
brings her a plate of something soft and easily digestible.” (Muschenetz 19)
Muschenetz touches on safety in “Safety Points” and “When? Always.” These poems are guides on vigilance, both starting with ‘Transcribed from the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office.’ “Safety Points” is composed of suggestions for women to keep safe. These poems show us the retroactive effects of living in a patriarchal system. The most visually striking poems in this book, “Warning/Surprise” and “Point Blank,” also remind me of desensitization. Muschenetz uses the silhouette of an exclamation point to convey an urgent social message and commentary about how we performatively express ourselves, cause, and prevent alarm. In an era of rapid desensitization to violence, youths have gotten the worst end of this desensitization. These pure poems in Powerpoint are full of direct mentions of youths’ capacity to make a difference.
Muschenetz brings us to a point of relief when she expresses hope for change and prosperity in “The Surfing Madonna,” a mosaic and beloved symbol of ocean preservation. Muschenetz writes,
“You see, everyday miracles
(outside of Churches and Temples)
—we too can walk on water,
with the right wave beneath us.” (Muschenetz 12)
In this case, we can interpret “The Surfing Madonna” not just through the lens of an environmentalist but through the lens of an optimistic and a believer in miracles when it’s most important to be. This poem, among a few others, is a reminder that perseverance is possible.
The final poem in Power Point, “Stop This Poem,” is a call for hopefulness in the vicinity of the point of no return, since the poem before is titled “POINT OF NO RETURN.” Muschenetz urges the reader to stop reading and essentially be present. I take it to mean we should be present as a preventative measure against outrage, justified or otherwise.
There is a balanced mix of dreadful realization and practiced hope in this chapbook. Muschenetz’s poetry in this project forces us to reflect on gender oppression and obligation. Power Point feels like an intense study of the state of moving through the world with a big clinical W on our chest. Something you could only let go of by being present and having a seed of faith for the future, no matter how bad the statistics are.
Power Point is Available from Sheila-Na-Gig Editions
Jahmayla Pointer is a three-time National Goofing Around Award winner and specializes in consuming gothic literature and horror films. Jahmayla’s playful and observant nature and deep love of horror, magic, and literary thrills led her to pursue an English and Creative Writing degree four years ago. She began taking creative writing workshops in her senior year of high school and fell in love with working with others on various projects. During her downtime, she likes to spend time with friends and family, dance, write short stories, and read in copious amounts. Something that means a lot to Jahmayla is grassroots work and helping people directly through mutual aid and acts of service, She puts this passion into action by working with a group of good friends to develop education tools and encourage high literacy in her local neighborhoods.
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