One essence of poetry is the elegant and economical use of words. Mr. Mac’s poems are short and dense with meaning, often with a wry twist.
“I could never lose someone as much as I lost you.”
Who needs more? Even the simplest of his poems is worth a second read to appreciate the shades of meaning.
The second half of poetry is imagery. For the poet, the challenge is to equal the picture in ten words, not a thousand. In this area, Mac’s work is also economical, saving the technique to show meaning, eschewing the baroque flourish in favour of the sharp jab of light.
“ I saw war on her lips
And peace in her eyes
‘Twas a lover’s kiss
But we still held our knives”
Four lines = one clear picture of a whole life together.
The humour in the “Welter” section is sharp. In the “Whim” part it becomes…well…even more whimsical: lighter, more creative.
“Geese
Need cease
With the feces”
‘Nuff said!
If I found anything lacking, it was communication through form. I’m not sure of the purpose for his italics, which he uses, it seems, randomly. As many poets do, he uses little punctuation, an outmoded trend which robs him of one more tool with which to communicate.
A fun, quick read with flashes of insight. Highly recommended.
(5 / 5)