FOUR STAR REVIEW FOR AN EXCELLENT COLLECTION OF POETRY!
Poet of Poise, Purpose, & Passion
The greatest art depicts reality. Poetry is one of the highest arts, and is
often a very personal one, so I commend Brooks for allowing us the opportunity
to flit about in his mind.
Some of the poetry in this collection will make you laugh unexpectedly. Others will make you smile, like "On a Train" and "Ode to Morning Glories." Others will make you think about life, recall sleepless nights, and ramble through the nefarious "what might have been" moments in life; while others will make you become very wary of what you do (in fear of the Gateman). But, all the while, you will be with Brooks, who guides you through his mind, and allows you the chance to wholly experience what he is going through by placing you not only into his shoes... but into his soul.
I think there's something for everyone to enjoy in this collection--from those, like my sister, who has read the entirety of Dante Alighieri; to quiet, poetic dreamers like myself; and even to those who desire the more modern Bukowski-esque flair. The last Georgia poet I read was Byron Herbert Reece, who I also enjoyed, so I was ecstatic when another Georgia poet snatched up the reins of my awareness.
The poetry that I felt moved along the best were those that have a bluesy atmosphere (almost like a black and white noir of the 50's) and make you feel as though you're surrounded by a gossamer fog of smoke on a wet morning with a pale gray sky overhead. In this style, I especially loved the one about Armstrong, and the way you can almost hear his trumpet when you read the last lines--"making governments call out communist/while his music won the war."
A reviewer on the back of the book states, "The magnum opus of the collection is a poem entitled, The Gateman's Hymn of Ignoracium." The magnum opus is supposed to be the longest, greatest work--but I never considered Keats's "Endymion" to be his magnum opus, even if it is longer than his sonnets. In my head, as cluttered and confused as it may be, I consider a magnum opus to be something that weighs heavily on my soul, and length of a poem (alone) is like stale water that bears no life. "My Buddhist Beginning" is such a poem, because, though written simply, this poem (just as most poetry often is, especially in this collection) can be interpreted in a million different ways.
I love this collection of poetry, though I'm often a simple-minded person, and felt that the second book seemed to wander from one style to another. Regardless, I wish Brooks the greatest measure of success during his publishing venture, hope to read more of his works in the future, and hope that YOU (whoever you are) decide to read this volume of poetry.
Some of the poetry in this collection will make you laugh unexpectedly. Others will make you smile, like "On a Train" and "Ode to Morning Glories." Others will make you think about life, recall sleepless nights, and ramble through the nefarious "what might have been" moments in life; while others will make you become very wary of what you do (in fear of the Gateman). But, all the while, you will be with Brooks, who guides you through his mind, and allows you the chance to wholly experience what he is going through by placing you not only into his shoes... but into his soul.
I think there's something for everyone to enjoy in this collection--from those, like my sister, who has read the entirety of Dante Alighieri; to quiet, poetic dreamers like myself; and even to those who desire the more modern Bukowski-esque flair. The last Georgia poet I read was Byron Herbert Reece, who I also enjoyed, so I was ecstatic when another Georgia poet snatched up the reins of my awareness.
The poetry that I felt moved along the best were those that have a bluesy atmosphere (almost like a black and white noir of the 50's) and make you feel as though you're surrounded by a gossamer fog of smoke on a wet morning with a pale gray sky overhead. In this style, I especially loved the one about Armstrong, and the way you can almost hear his trumpet when you read the last lines--"making governments call out communist/while his music won the war."
A reviewer on the back of the book states, "The magnum opus of the collection is a poem entitled, The Gateman's Hymn of Ignoracium." The magnum opus is supposed to be the longest, greatest work--but I never considered Keats's "Endymion" to be his magnum opus, even if it is longer than his sonnets. In my head, as cluttered and confused as it may be, I consider a magnum opus to be something that weighs heavily on my soul, and length of a poem (alone) is like stale water that bears no life. "My Buddhist Beginning" is such a poem, because, though written simply, this poem (just as most poetry often is, especially in this collection) can be interpreted in a million different ways.
I love this collection of poetry, though I'm often a simple-minded person, and felt that the second book seemed to wander from one style to another. Regardless, I wish Brooks the greatest measure of success during his publishing venture, hope to read more of his works in the future, and hope that YOU (whoever you are) decide to read this volume of poetry.
***
About the Author:
Clifford Brooks III has a History degree from Shorter University. He is Pushcart, Pulitzer and Georgia Author of the Year nominee for The Draw of Broken Eyes and Whirling Metaphysics, which is his first major work. He lives in Athens, Georgia.
No comments:
Post a Comment