Lion by Tallas Munro
Reviewed by Selena Mercuri
Tallas Munro’s Lion is a compact collection of poems that maintains emotional weight while also leaning into brevity. Most of the pieces are under a dozen lines, and some, like “Invisible” and “Freedom,” are just two or three. The style is minimalist, but not cold. Munro has a talent for precision, and his short poems work like match-strikes.
He is particularly strong in one-line or very short works. “Illiteracy in intimacy / has left me / invisible” stands out for its clarity. Others, like “Maps”—“Laying out maps over the floor and dancing on top / was the closest we could get to traveling the world”—build small narratives from memory without overreaching.
The longer poems are more variable. The title piece, “Lion,” introduces a more lyrical and abstract register. Lines like “you speak in leaves applauding the performance of wind” move the collection into more figurative territory, though not always with the same control as the shorter poems. The language risks becoming vague, but Munro usually reins it in before it loses focus.
A recurring theme is personal regret, often rendered in plain but considered language. “I Should Have Taken You to the Beach” begins with the line “You asked me to take you to the beach / I should have taken you,” and the poem builds on that emotional directness. These moments—uncomplicated but thoughtfully structured—are where Munro’s voice feels most grounded.
What holds the book together is its clarity of tone and quiet confidence. Munro doesn’t try to do too much in any one piece, and the poems are better for it. The consistent, reflective voice builds a steady rhythm, and the book rewards slow reading.
Lion is a careful, pared-back collection that finds resonance in understatement. Munro’s restraint and sense of timing give even the briefest poems a lasting shape.
About the Author
Tallas Munro is a Canadian Artist whose work includes his debut poetry collection Death Before Life ('18), audiobook Ribbon of Babylon ('22), and various acting roles in theatre. He resides in New Brunswick, Canada.
About the Reviewer
Selena Mercuri is a Toronto-based writer, editor, and book reviewer. She is a publicist with River Street and a social media associate at The Rights Factory. She holds a BA in Political Science from the University of Toronto, and studied Publishing at Toronto Metropolitan University. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in The Fiddlehead, The Literary Review of Canada, The Dalhousie Review, Room Magazine, Prairie Fire, The Ampersand Review, and elsewhere. Selena was the recipient of the 2023 Norma Epstein Award for Creative Writing and a finalist in the Hart House Poetry Contest. In the fall, she will begin the University of Guelph’s Creative Writing MFA program.
Book Details
Publisher : Ace of Swords
Publication date : December 18, 2024
Language : English
Print length : 87 pages
ISBN-10 : 1990496709
ISBN-13 : 978-1990496707