Shitolian by O Persaud is a collection of poetry that speaks volumes on many subjects; politics, religion, cultural issues and many more of the various problems that plague and separate today’s society. Shitolian is not a volume intended for those who get offended easily by strong emotions and a very few instances of adult language, yet it is a collection that everyone can learn from. The amount of truth and emotion within Persaud’s words lays bare the perspectives that most would deny exist. Yet in Shitolian, Persaud addresses every issue with personal emotions that allow the reader to realize that these social issues are sidestepped way too often.
Shitolian has wowed me beyond my personal expectations of poetry. The raw emotion concerning the social issues written about has made it abundantly clear that the reader does not have to share the writer’s viewpoint to enjoy this poetry. I would never have believed that so many controversial subjects would make for good poetry yet Shitolian is much more than just good: it is at the very least amazing. I love the amount of passion in Shitolian. The few instances of adult language do not detract from the value of the meaning but, actually, add the perfect amount of emotion to keep the reader caught up in the words and wondering what emotional punch the next poem is going to deliver. I recommend Shitolian to anyone who enjoys poetry that sets a new standard and I honestly hope to see more work like this from Persaud. This is a voice that really needs to be heard or, in this case, read.