- Published: 153 days ago
- Comments: 0
- Reads: 59
<!-- BOUNDARY -->
| |
 A Poetic Treat Not To Be Missed, May 6, 2008Reviewed by Wendy Paulson of Apex Reviews
Poetry collections are often crafted in particular themes. There are compilations of love poems, poems about politics, collected pieces that dissect the mores & folkways of greater society, etc. There are also, though, poetic collections that delve deep into the mind, heart, and soul of the author, offering a profound glance into the peculiar inner workings common to us all. Unlike their themed counterparts, such collections don't tend to be as strong or compelling; Scrap Paper, however, is the exception to that rule.
A collection of poems written by Brandon Hildreth, Scrap Paper touches on everything from nostalgia to heartbreak to death to the joys of childhood whimsy. Through the skillful use of such poetic devices as colorful metaphors and rhymed couplets - and even the occasional haiku - Hildreth conveys topics often difficult to follow in rather convincing fashion, and he manages to do so while stopping just short of adopting the typical poetic pretense that tends to make the poetic experience a stifling chore for the average reader.
The bookend poems "Life" and "Death" open and close the collection, offering similar yet diametrically-opposed musings on the nature and significance of each. Hildreth then proceeds to gives the reader a flash of his laconic brilliance in the haiku entitled "Childhood":
"Childhood fantasy
Opens doorways for our souls
Keep unlocked always"
In "Empty," Hildreth waxes philosophical, capturing in five short lines what most erudite scholars would take five years to convey:
"If it's blank
It must be filled
No matter what the cost
`Cause if it's blank forever
Our world is surely lost"
And, of course, for the broken hearted, there's the all-too-familiar longing of "Idea":
"Reading ancient love letters
Devoid of your feelings past,
Wondering if the energy used to place the ink could ever last,
And if so;
I could use a drop or three
On your heart the next time we passed"
Scrap Paper is an enjoyable, enlightening treat for poetry lovers of all types. A compelling combination of eros & pathos, Hildreth's moving collection is both a subtle celebration of the human spirit and a call for self-discovery and introspection. Highly recommended.
|
|
Tagged as: reviews
apex
hildreth
brandon
paper
scrap
