From Poetry and Poetics Centre

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Featured reviews

The Hieronymus Bosch Shopping Mall by Graham Catt, reviewed by Amelia Walker
Shacklife by Mike Ladd, reviewed by John De Laine
micromacro by rob walker, reviewed by Megan Boyd
Friendly Street New Poets 11 by Cameron Fuller, Simone G Matthews, Rachel Manning, reviewed by Megan Boyd
Red in the Morning by David Mortimer, reviewed by Robert Bloomfield
Collected Poems by Juan Garrido-Salgado, reviewed by Robert Bloomfield
Unmoving Navigator, who fell in love with the ocean’s darkness by Juan Garrido-Salgado, reviewed by Robert Bloomfield

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The Hieronymus Bosch Shopping Mall by Graham Catt

Reviewed by Amelia Walker

Some poems are windows: they invite us to climb beyond the glass, to free-fall through strange, frightening, beautiful worlds. Others are mirrors, reflecting us in many lights, flattering and not so flattering; they can bend and stretch us like a sideshow gag, replay both more and less than we 'really' are. Other poems still are magnifying glasses, honed in on details we might otherwise forget or take for granted; turned at the right angle, these seemingly innocuous lenses can birth fire. The poems in Graham Catt's new collection are all these things and more. Readers are invited to drive their cars through spongecakes, fold up windows, kiss each blade of grass as though in blessing and belch new landscapes into being.

As in Catt's first collection, Shooting Stars (Ginninderra Press 2001) the poems often explore everyday domestic issues, but Catt's writing is far from domesticated. Outlandish yet subtle, his opening poem, 'the things I did today', sets the mood with a list of seemingly incredulous statements including 'I carried a cloud across the street, held an earthquake in the palm of my hand' and 'I pretended to be a telephone until the ringing gave me a headache'. Although surreal, the poem is instantly accessible and relates a familiar sense of longing for something beyond the black/white of our nine-to-five world. Other themes include sensuality, loneliness, cities and nature, technology and dreaming. A wistful, almost mourning, tone pervades throughout, but Catt's humour and original insights offer enough light to counter the shade. He has a talent for making the everyday startling, as in his excellent 'soap opera for insects'. Conversely, the understated 'shopping list of a serial killer' manages to make the startling seem unsettlingly everyday.

Stylistically, Catt's writing appears simple, at times conversational. It is in fact very comprehensively pared back. There are no unnecessary pretensions, no wasted words, no flab. His straightforward, economical language contrasts the elaborate images, allowing them space to breathe. This keeps the poetry sublime, never ridiculous. Catt uses punctuation sparsely, to maximum effect. There is nothing in his writing, not so much as a single comma, that does not contribute meaning. Every drop of ink counts. He also reaps full impact from the visual arrangements of words. Line breaks, stanza groupings and indentations are all used - never overused - to their entire potential.

Overall this is an incredibly tight, sharply original collection of insightful, relevant poetry. Catt has developed and honed a style that warrants no comparisons: it is his and his alone. The Hieronymus Bosch Shopping Mall opens its gleaming glass doors upon a new frontier for Australian poetry. Be brave. Step inside.

Publication details:
Graham Catt
The Hieronymus Bosch Shopping Mall
Picaro Press
2007
ISBN 978-1-920957-37-7

Copies can be purchased directly from the author for $5, postage included. Cheques or money orders to Graham Catt, PO Box 31, Kent Town, SA, 5071.

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Shacklife by Mike Ladd

Reviewed by John De Laine, Adelaide University

Adelaide's Mike Ladd has produced some fine collections in the past, and his latest title is a smart and sassy little book, a breathing space for him. He adds his name to a long and prestigious list of Australian poets, as book No. 60 in Picaro Press's Wagtail series of poetry samplers. Shacklife is a selection of poems from the three most recent of Ladd's published collections, namely Picture's Edge (1994), Close to Home (2000), and Rooms and Sequences (2003).

This Wagtail compilation provides an opportunity for both established Ladd fans, and new ones, to take a fresh look at his published work. A trim sixteen pages ensures Shacklife is not a chore to read. No padding for the reader to merely tolerate here; each poem has earned its place. A neat, clear and no-nonsense choice of font by the publishers compliments the overall presentation of the chapbook, which impresses before the cover page is even turned over.

But what about the poetry itself? Ladd opens Shacklife with 'The Key', a searching poem in four-line stanzas that questions how satisfaction in life is obtained. It's a poem which seems to dissolve into nothing, although it is a nothing ultimately filled by human and spiritual value. Ladd's book features poems of varying lengths, with 'Apple Tree Meditation', 'The Cenotaph' and 'Back Lanes' among the poet's shorter offerings. 'Back Lanes', in particular, is a lusciously flowing picture filled with leisurely, warm-weather images in places hidden away from the limelight.

I expect any reader of Shacklife who writes verse themselves will smile widely, as did I, when they reach 'About Your Poem . . . '. A cheeky critique of the culture of rejection, Ladd employs marketing-speak and literary waffle, and marries the two in a way which positions his rejected poetry as a product unfit for use:

Your poem was a bit too dainty,
couldn't reach the revs or take the torque.
Its ratings were low
in the 25-40 demographic.
Furthermore,
it chafed us around the crotch.

The idea that editors are God, and all art must therefore be perfectly suited to one subjective position is a problem for all writers. That Ladd has successfully chosen to comment on this is truly courageous, and clever. More broadly, this poem reminds us of the choosiness epidemic existent in broader society and begs further exploration. About your job application . . . About your partner's looks . . . are just two examples which come to mind. Society needs more poems like 'About Your Poem . . . '.

In 'Baby Pigeon' Ladd confirms the interest in the outside world from the confines of the workplace. His little 'lump of putty', a vulnerable symbol of what gets left outside, and all too often forgotten. He moves from the workplace to the holiday destination in 'The Pacific', a rich rainbow of landscape snaps and overnight respite. The poem contrasts the natural beauty with the often disappointing reality of holiday infrastructure:

Promises of escape and latter years
of softer winters;
the exotic dumps —
Calypso Court, Hibiscus Lodge,
and Ocean Vistas with no view of the sea.

Ladd is strong on social commentary and philosophical discussion in much of his poetry. 'A City Seen in Autumn', sharing the same page with 'Baby Pigeon', is a longer look at the contrasts between the places we have to be in, and the places we would like to be in. Autumn is used consequentially, as the price paid for society's wrong turns, wrong priorities and accepted sufferings. A dab of Marxism adds to this poem, as Ladd asks success to reflect a moment on the human price of such grand achievement.

Ladd continues his humanist curve with a pair of personal poems about his own family and private life. 'Shower with My Son' has simplicity and honesty in its development of a family moment. Dad and baby boy bond beneath the shower rose, and Ladd discusses a world where circumcision is the first thing that the system throws at the human male. He continues on the theme of unkind cuts with 'Vasectomy', a complex piece which on one hand makes light of this contraceptive option and on the other laments for the possibility of loss: the what might happens, with subtle reference to the what might've beens.

The longest poem in Shacklife is a sequence titled 'A Vegetative Life', which, while delicately portrayed, is certainly something which has been done before. Nonetheless, 'Red Onion', the final poem in the sequence, once again shows Ladd's love of philosophy and all things deep. 'Beach Theory' is another such poem, albeit more of an experiment in how far Ladd can push his considerable powers as an imagist. The prize for best philosophical piece must go to 'Idea of Order'. A visit from a Jehovah's Witness, and a statement posed, results in some quick thinking from a no doubt unshaven and prematurely-woken Ladd as he leans on his front door:

Looking outside for an answer,
I asked her to consider
a seagull shitting in the ocean
as an idea of freedom,
and wondered
why she thought the world was like a watch.

Ladd's love of the seaside is evident in the finale of Shacklife, with a handful of poems set accordingly. Worth special mention in this regard is 'Pitjantjatjara Kids First Visit to the Sea'. It is a lovely poem and brings to mind the happy faces of indigenous children being part of a team, kicking footies, sharing good times. It glides over the still obvious prejudices in Australian society, the worry of merchants and the suspicious culture of our police. But these effective social comments do not stand over what is really a gentle poem of freedom, and the universally human desire to unite with nature. A Shacklife highlight.

For those who know nothing about Mike Ladd's work, a read of this chapbook will definitely be a temptation to seek his published volumes. For those who have already done so, this Wagtail treat should initiate deeper, franker and more enlightened study of this extremely observant and well-tooled craftsman.

Publication details:
Mike Ladd
Shacklife (ISSN 1444-8424)
Picaro Press
2006, 16 page chapbook
RRP $3.00

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micromacro by rob walker

Reviewed by Megan Boyd

Micromacro is a visually exciting book giving the reader an insight into the poetic mind, creating sharp images that contrast the delicate nature of his words. When reading rob’s work you soon find that your mind starts tuning in to a different station of thought. The mundane becomes fascinating and you begin to leap outside the square of reality. His work features poems from diverse areas such as Australian flora and fauna, relationships and retrospective discovery.

This book weaves in and out of the author’s mind, but keeps the reader’s attention at all times. You can’t wait to turn the page and see where you are going next. Some pieces skip easily over you and others, such as 'L is for', wash past like a tidal wave of emotion leaving you gasping. Micromacro is a journey of thought. The subject matter varies but the ideas and insights provide a journey worth taking. rob walker’s writing style varies such as in 'advice to a politician' (8) which renders a slight jab at our present political system. His political viewpoint is conveyed wonderfully using an almost haiku style, a great example of minimalist poetry.

Other works such as 'a beginners guide to postmodernism' (23) provide a fantastic insight into the rhetoric of the educated, leading us through the hypocrisy of word tags and then surprising us with an ending that leaves the reader questioning reality itself:

Don’t say book......poem or story
It’s all just text

don’t talk.
have a
discourse

you may still lecture
in the time honoured way
but call it a
conversation

in the end nothing matters anyway
everyone’s opinion is as good
as everyone else’s

the external world does not exist.

ignore it.

I would especially like to mention rob’s use of language and style in 'empty sockets' (46). Utilising free flowing text, or conrete poetry, to manifest a slightly disturbed edge, this poem collectively enters the mind both in a mental and spatial environment. His words leap over the page forming visual meanings and free-form ideas. This is a wonderful piece that really flies off the page. When your eyes have adjusted, realigned and absorbed its content you begin to understand the depth of the message. A must read.

Every poet should read rob’s exceptional work titled 'Quality' (59). In this piece he notes under the title that in the 14th and 15th centuries English poets were known as makers. rob presents us with a wonderful interpretation that couldn’t help but motivate all poets and reaffirm the value of their work:

and what idea conceived

today

will make a new word

to be pondered in three

millennia?

Another piece that really caught my attention is 'Microworld' (30). Throughout his work rob demonstrates the ability to look into the remarkable realms of nature and the subconscious. He brings the unseen to the surface in many of his poems and 'Microworld' is a fantastic example of this talent:

a visible universe of unseen blocks and bonds

desiccating clay tessellates to hexagons

quartz molecules hold hands. Angled calcite perfection

fibonacci in each pinecone, protea, sunflower

geometry of the seen

constructed from the lego

of the invisible

Micromacro is a remarkable example of new Australian poetry and rob walker’s confronting, sometimes-ethnographical approach mirrors the challenges that many artists have when it comes to accepting and digesting modern reality. This book can be revisited over and over again. It is a pleasure to discover the multifaceted levels of each poem, as each revisitation unveils a new idea or concept.

Publication details:
rob walker
micromacro
Seaview Press
2006, 78 pages
RRP $22

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Friendly Street New Poets 11

Reviewed by Megan Boyd

Friendly Street's recent publication of New Poets 11 showcases the works of Cameron Fuller (featured in Our Members), Simone G Matthews and Rachel Manning. Produced by Friendly Street Poets in association with Wakefield Press, this book leaves no doubt that we have enormous creative talent right here in South Australia. Adelaide-based glass artist Tom Moore features his work on the cover of New Poets 11. This display of glass characters in a diorama-like imaginary setting surprises and delights the visual senses—a perfect introduction to this publication.

The first part of New Poets 11 takes us through a journey of outstanding works by UniSA PhD Student Cameron Fuller. This collection titled 'low background noise' is a revealing look at a creative mind. Brave and sometimes confronting, he takes a dive outside the square. His piece 'sometimes, meanings' invites the audience to share the most intimate processes of poetry creation. Travel through these pages and enjoy the confronting words of 'Eucharist under golden arches'. Cameron really hits the spot with this one. The frosted glass of shallow perception is lifted and we are faced with the absurd reality that is global junk food franchises. His controversial poem 'America' bounces the ball of Amercian hypocrisy, while the confronting words of 'A relationship with fear' give life to a subject that the majority of us would rather ignore. Fresh, challenging and sometimes humorous, Cameron's original work is a pleasure to read.

Simone G Matthews is the second collection in New Poets 11. The tide turns and we find ourselves splashed by the waves of her words. Simone's style of writing creates a myriad of emotions. We are faced with the reality of practical life versus longing in 'oyster bar' and taken away to a different dimension of language in her piece titled 'perfect flowers'—an intertext that doesn't want to be a poem in prose. A great read!

The final collection in this publication showcases the works of Rachel Manning. Born and raised in South Australia, Rachel has been writing poetry since she was ten. She has now been published widely both here in South Australia and nationally. You will enjoy the words as they fall down the page, skipping and swerving; her works are a treat for the senses. Be entertained by the comical yet confronting look at aggression in 'planet man'. This piece gives us a strong sense of the subject without lengthy dialogue—very refreshing.

Publication Details:
Wakefield Press
2006
RRP $19.95

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Red in the Morning by David Mortimer

Reviewed by Robert Bloomfield

This collection of ‘99 distinct word-thought-sound-shapes’ is arranged on a seasonal basis, according to the month, but not the year, in which the poem was begun.

As might be expected from an unthemed collection spanning five years, there are several different facets of the writer’s intellect on view in this collection. Firstly, there are the defamiliarising effects that derive from mildly fractured syntax, ambiguous expression and unusual collocation.

'Note':

A wave away
Just a wave away
From pavement sport
Dark glasses carry off the smile
But just a step might
The dress quicker
Brush the inner
Thigh'

Slightly surreal, balancing on the brink of comprehension, this verse plays its little game with logic, demanding analysis.

Then there is the fascination with nature and its mysteries. In 'Butterflies', the ambiguity inherent our most familiar of strange insects is examined, as they are observed ‘tracking their slow chaotic … Random/electric/pulse’ in the ‘sudden fast slow air.’ In 'Rose', the familiar is again made strange, and compared suggestively to ‘things that fall or rise/or things/that open or close.’

Finally there is the fascination with everyday cultural phenomena, expressed in philosophical terms. Ideas are presented as ‘worse than miracles’ ('Caution'), and promises are linked insistently with hope, in a desperate exposé of the universal dreams and human dilemmas that lie at the heart of capitalist culture.

Eyes can not decipher
Brains not cope

With how economies run on hope
On trust in hope
And hope of trust in hope

('Promises')

Sometimes unsettling, sometimes celebratory, always quietly profound, these poems are the creatively moulded products of an inquisitive and restless mind.

Publication details:
David Mortimer
Red in the Morning
Bookends Books
RRP $22.95
Available from Imprints, Dymocks, at Friendly Street readings; distributed by Wakefield Press.

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Collected Poems by Juan Garrido-Salgado

Reviewed by Robert Bloomfield

Juan Garrido-Salgado’s cycle forms a semi-continuous narrative that describes his experiences as a political prisoner in Chile, his ‘embrace’ of a new country and his continuing political involvement in world issues.

His poetry seeks to maintain awareness of injustices past and present, expose hypocrisy, and promote alternatives to the pervasive effects of contemporary extremism in its various guises.

His tactics are to oppose. In the eyes of prison the first eye, the ‘eye prisoner’ is opposed with an ‘other eye’ that ‘declares its freedom’ as ‘memories of liberty’ are contrasted with dreams of escape. In concerning international telecommunications, the ‘disappeared’ are reanimated as skeletons while silence and cruelty are vividly anthropomorphised and pressed into service as deflectors of international criticism.

The poems are permeated with death and solitude, with juxtapositions of the corporeal and the spiritual; metaphysical interludes punctuated with sharp bursts of reality—“get up you bastards!”

There are more dreams in his response to Lorca; My soul is wet with the tears of impossible things, but here they are heavy with the damp imagery of a rain-soaked landscape and the possibilities of new soil and new roots that, despite everything, may yet lead to a new dawn.

Garrido-Salgado has much to say and his passion is palpable, but it is a restrained passion; a piling up of evidence, that give these poems their strength. His is the authentic voice of the exotic oppressed—we equate him with others.

Publication details:
Juan Garrido-Salgado
Collected Poems
Five Islands Press, Melbourne
RRP: $20
Available from Imprints, Dymocks and Mary Martin’s bookshop.

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Unmoving Navigator, who fell in love with the ocean’s darkness by Juan Garrido-Salgado

Reviewed by Robert Bloomfield

This is a book about dreams. Garrido-Salgado informs us that the poet Neruda was a collector of ships’ figureheads, and these poems, presented as a bilingual chapbook, are contemplations of the figureheads in the Port Adelaide Museum, transformed into words as a gift for Neruda’s centenary.

Figureheads are twice symbolic; already filled with the pagan superstitions that doubly insured their original creators, they now form an offering that seeks to cement an international brotherhood of poets, sailors and humans; mythical places where similarities take the place of differences.

Garrido-Salgado’s theme, ‘the liberation of themes from injustice’ plays a supporting role in these poems, which are lyrical metaphors. The pink cheeks of the gaudily coloured statues become a recurrent motif, representing memories, dreams, and uncertain futures—the persistent obsessions of the sea-traveller.

Your future’s a rose’s red blush
Your future the foam’s white flecks
Your future the blue ocean
Dreaming here on the museum wall

('Young girl sailing in the rose’s prow')

The figureheads are ‘hunters of the seas’, cleavers of the fog’, reanimated, awakened, and mined for their experience— ‘only you know /where Paradise is’.

But always the connection is made back to Neruda: to Neruda who stands for innocence, youth and joy, to Neruda the ultimate figurehead, and to Neruda’s shrine, Isla Negra, where so many dreams are planted.

Publication details:
Juan Garrido-Salgado
Unmoving Navigator, who fell in love with the ocean’s darkness
Picaro Press, NSW
RRP: $5
Available direct from the publisher

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