"Troubling Expectations: A Review of Douglas Manuel's 'Trouble Funk' by Colin Briggs

Douglas Manuel’s book of poems, Trouble Funk, released in 2023, is dedicated to the story of his parents’ love. Manuel holds a BA in Creative Writing from Arizona State University, an MFA in poetry from Butler University, and a PhD in English Literature and Creative Writing from the University of Southern California. His literary works, including poems and essays, have appeared in various publications such as Zyzzyva, Pleiades, the New Orleans Review, and our very own MORIA. He has experience teaching poetry at the University of Iowa’s Writing Program and is currently an Assistant Professor of English at Whittier College, just outside of Los Angeles.
Trouble Funk comes after his earlier book, Testify (2017) — both out from Red Hen Press — and seeks to challenge a skewed image of his father that appears in the first work. Through poetry, Manuel debunks conventional, racist stereotypes people maintain about the Black family, helping his readers bear witness to a narrative that is real for many. Poems act as experiences, allowing readers access into how this community feels on the inside and helping to tie readers to the story more. Manuel uses poetry as a tool to let people understand and correct stereotypes revolving around Black love.
Three of Manuel’s poems from Trouble Funk have been published in MORIA’s fourth issue. One of those poems, “Slippin Into Darkness, 1969,” talks about “Damon” (referred to as “Junebug” in the piece) and his mother working at their neighborhood eatery. It provides context to Damon’s experiences as he resiliently navigates life, despite a troubled family history scarred by the loss of his father and uncle. The dynamic between Damon and his mother, their shared dance juxtaposed against this past violence, creates a hauntingly beautiful narrative. The poem skillfully incorporates themes of resilience, family, and the longing for escape within the context of a neighborhood plagued by struggle.
The poem “Flashlight, 1981” captures a similar context of violence and tragedy. Through evocative imagery and gritty details, Manuel portrays a neighborhood with a mixture of danger, desperation, and resilience. The poem weaves together the environment of “The Avenue,” portraying the fragility and constant threat of violence in daily life there. Manuel's use of vivid scenes and moving reflections brings light to the harsh context many must grow up with, both in the past and present. Every moment has a feeling of uncertainty and danger. The poem's vivid imagery and portrayal of the character's experiences leave a lasting impression, inviting readers to think about the complexities of growing up and living within an unforgiving context.
The poem “Fire, 1975,” portrays the themes of self-identity and love using nicknames. It captures a sense of transition and growth for its protagonist, Damon, symbolized by the shift from falling autumn leaves to the cold, quiet landscape of winter. While lying in bed with his partner, Denise, he suggests the name “DJ Damon” for himself, highlighting the stress of change while staying true to one’s identity. He questions this process as Denise is encouraging him: "Stick with me, and you'll see" (31), ending the poem with the hope of growth and discovery.
Originally starting all the poems as sonnets, Manuel diverges from this traditional structure due to the complexity of the narrative. Sonnets were too constricting to embody experiences that were so thwarted, according to Manuel. After reading each poem again and listening to it, Manuel reorganized each poem’s structure to help with the flow and rhythm of their experience. Take the poem “Back In Love, 1982,” for example. The portrayal of Denise's isolation is represented powerfully through the poem's repetition and structural design. The opening lines begin by delineating her relationship with her friends, distinctly setting apart Denise's name from the others in the group:

She knew she wasn’t alone. Denise
Could call Jasmine, Lonnie, Pam. (46)

By breaking up dialogue across the sections, this repetition helps weave a pattern of loneliness. This helps reflect Denise’s emotional state, helping to create a connection with the reader.
Poems were based on conversations with his father about memories involving his mother, who passed away when Manuel was young. Manuel states that writing the poems was about trying to find his mother’s voice. His father, who was a DJ, referenced each experience with a song, tagged in the poems in the book. While certain songs might have been played during particular experiences, others were selected due to their connection with the memories themselves. Together, the songs make up a playlist for Trouble Funk, which is meant to be listened to while reading the book. This gives the book an almost rhythmic feel, bouncing you around to different dates and experiences.
Challenging a linear narrative, each poem is given a year, moving the reader back-and-forth through an unpredictable and unforgettable pathway of experience. Readers are not constricted to a timeline of experience, helping to fully engage them with the narrative. Manuel’s ability to transition through poems with a rhythmic flow makes Trouble Funk a captivating read that resonates long after the pages are turned. The collection is a testament to the power of poetic expression in capturing the essence of Black love and experience. The poems are a fusion of introspection and celebration, exploring the intricacies of identity, family, love, and societal issues with an unapologetic honesty.

Colin Briggs

Colin Briggs is a fifth-year architecture major at Woodbury University who likes to explore the ideas of narrative in architecture through his projects. He served as the Fiction Editor for MORIA’s Issue 12.