Admittedly, I do not read poetry often. However, when an author whose work I respect and enjoy releases a new collection of poems chronicling the joys and pains of the street hustler, I will sit up and take notice.
With Hustler Rave XXX: Poetry of the Eternal Survivor, Charlie Vazquez and David Caleb Acevedo have put together a collection that makes for erotic, compulsive, and at times, poignant reading. Each author puts a magnifying glass to what transpires between these hustlers and their "johns", illuminating what is more often than not a tragic, lonely and dangerous existence. Acevedo, in his introduction, is very open about his own past as a hustler and pulls some very graphic imagery from his experiences and Vazquez's pieces also sear themselves into your brain; these poems combine to give voice to the countless young men that have found themselves on the streets. They are cautionary tales. They are memorials.
As is often the case with poetry, several readings may be needed to help interpret the meaning behind the words on the page, and Hustler Rave XXX is no different. Each time I reread the poems, I learned a little more and my heart broke a little more for these poor souls out there on the streets. I found myself hoping that somehow, these eternal survivors would know their stories were being told and that they were not forgotten.
I'll end this review with a thank you to the authors, for bringing to light such a controversial subject and handling it with both honesty and heart.
