Simple but sincere. Subtle. I feel like it started from a singular memory then branched out into so many things: personal, social and political. I couldn't connect to everything from this collection, but a lot of them gave me vivid pictures and made me think of so many things, even personal things. "You Are Here" made a me a little emotional, especially "Anguish". One of the shorter ones is "Kaleidoscope" and it made me remember a specific moment when I was a kid but also a lot of other moments in my adult life when events and perspectives were ever changing. "People Change", "Imagination" and "Value of Nothing" are some of the few that I find very raw. But the pieces I liked best are "Red Velvet Footstool" and "Rainy Day in April."

A Mismatch of Promise and Poetry

I'm going to be real. I felt deceived by this book.

Between the cover imagery (watermelon and seeds) and the blurb mentioning “observation of the world” and a shift toward “socially-conscious and political” themes near the end, I expected something very different, especially given how watermelons and seeds have become powerful cultural and political symbols, particularly in connection to Palestine.

But the opening poem, When Watermelon Had Seeds, turned out to be about a backyard party, and that mismatch set the tone for me.
I won't assume the choice of title and cover was intentionally misleading, but I do wish there had been more sensitivity or awareness around their symbolism, especially in today’s context.

The frequent use of free verse contrapuntal poems in the first half didn’t resonate with me. And while that might just be a personal taste thing, it made it harder for me to get pulled into the book. I was fully prepared to have my thoughts provoked, as the blurb promised, but instead I found myself pulled out of the experience by poems that felt, at times, condescending — like one dismissing readers who don’t "get" poetry as simply not poetic enough, or another judging a woman for wanting to turn her parrot tattoo into a butterfly. The tone felt more smug than sincere.

To be fair, the latter half of the book does begin to explore deeper themes, and there were moments where the poetry started to hit closer to home, but by that point, it was hard for me to reconnect with the book emotionally. The early tone had already created a distance I couldn't quite bridge.

This might be a good read for others with different expectations or tastes, but it wasn’t what I hoped it would be.

When Watermelon had Seeds by Edmond Bruneau is an eclectic collection of poems that I quite enjoyed. His words are both nostalgic and authentic, giving one the feeling of sitting down with a grandparent at the kitchen table.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ebook.

When Watermelon Had Seeds is a nostalgic, insightful poetry collection that moves from playful memories to poignant social commentary and even includes a whimsical fable about cats and dogs. I especially enjoyed how the poems took me from laughter to contemplation within just a few pages—“Angel Food” made me chuckle, while “Forget Me Not” brought genuine emotion. It feels like flipping through a scrapbook of life, with clever wordplay, sharp wit, and heart to spare.

Whoa baby, Edmond Bruneau took me on a poetry rollercoaster—from spitting watermelon seeds to political sass and one very suspicious parrot tattoo. 😂 This book is like your eccentric uncle’s memory box: full of oddball treasures, hard truths, and unexpected giggles. I couldn’t stop flipping the pages—I mean, there’s even a “missing” Mother Goose story about cats and dogs going to WAR. 📚🐶🐱 If poetry ever felt stuffy to you, this book rips the doily right off it.

Thank you for the advanced copy of when watermelon had seeds by Edmond Bruneau pub 1st of August, I throughly enjoyed this beautiful thought provoking poems

Poetry with Pits, Punchlines & Perfectly Timed Zingers!

When Watermelon Had Seeds is a juicy, witty, and unexpectedly sharp collection of poetry and musings that had me giggling, nodding, and questioning society—all before I got to the part about why dogs hate cats! 🐾📜😂