[caption id="attachment_1327" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Aracelis Girmay, BOA poet"][/caption] Kingdom Animalia, a collection of poetry by Aracelis Girmay, was chosen as the August selection for The Rumpus Poetry Book Club.  Camille T. Dungy reviewed Girmay's collection explaining why Kingdom Animalia is an excellent choice for this month's book. Dungy found Kingdom Animalia to be an invigorating work that "maps the world in which we live, classifying us, grouping us, reminding us of what sets us apart, and what ties us together."  The collection itself succeeds in demonstrating, examining, and revealing relationships.  The relationships that Girmay address range from people to animals, seasons to sounds, and species to elements.  In order to accomplish this dimensional and intricate theme, Girmay "employs the ancient tool of identifying the sacred in the mundane."  Additionally, Girmay is not afraid to address distance within relationships because of "illness, shame, mobility, the passing of seasons, or death" but notes that "none of them are large enough breaches to void connection." One of the most striking and beautifully creative aspects of Girmay's work is that she forces multiple languages to complement her work.  Rather than being a barrier, Girmay's use of language takes on the challenge of demonstrating relationships by communicating common understanding and evoking new perspectives.  In this way, Girmay's "poems broaden the stories, widening our perspectives" by creating an "expansive and inclusive voice and vision."  The reader gains a sense of intimacy with a work that is "both personal and communal." To read the full review, follow the link here.