Foreword:
This is a poetry book. I often hear the words, “I hate poetry,” “I don’t understand poetry,” “Poetry is so boring”… and yes, I agree – poetry is a very subjective art, just like paintings: some love Dali, some love Ruben.
I just want to remind you about the time when you were a kid and your parents bought you a book – often short poems about animals, nature, relationships, elves, daily chores. You grew up, and the poems grew up with you, too.
You loved them when you were a child, didn’t you?
So, what happened?
Poetry is the literature itself. It is a place where our hearts start beating. This means, if you hate poetry = you hate literature. Hmm, then – what do you think you are doing…when you are reading all your books? 👁😼
Review:
Patience is power. Patience is not an absence of action; rather, it is ‘timing’…
What great timing! After “freezing to death with the last pack of ganja in our pockets” (from Colder: A Collection of Poetry and Prose), we slowly continue our journey to the Land of Waiting. It’s very convenient, don’t you think? First, we were invited to a peaceful chat in the middle of dope-fields, and after, all of a sudden, we arrived at an abandoned pier…
!! Ganja aka Hashish aka Marijuana aka Dagga aka Cannabis aka Weed (+1000 more slang terms for marijuana). Ask River for more info 😜
Let’s start! River Dixon opens his book with a very suspicious line:
I could stand here
For a lifetime…
It forces me to ask you, fellow bloggers, what if he is ‘a vampire?’ Do you have time for standing & waiting? Like, ever??
“Never on Monday!” you’d say.
(and our ‘Monday’ is every day of the week!)
Following questions to River Dixon:
a) What is River’s favorite music? – Scream of poetry!
b) Looking for a sad vampire to come & bite you this Halloween? – Go grab the book!
c) Where’s vampire Dixon living? – Send your blood type and he’ll answer your question…
Ah, let me tell you the truth… River doesn’t give a damn about days, weeks, years, centuries. Time is irrelevant and his poems are immortal: there’s not so much of ‘oh-ah sentimentality’ here and even less fluff. It’s a collection of unbelievable power and a nearly uncanny, simple perception of the world/life.
Toiling through the hours
And miles away
From the only thing
I know as home
We are slowly moving closer to that ‘ghostly/in-grave-d’ home… through poems ‘Jar of Coins’ & ‘Another Corner.’ I especially love this piece of darkness and modern romantism:
I watch the blood run down my hand
Drip from my fingertips,
splash on the floor
All I can do is think to myself
How much I really don’t care anymore…
Then we are jumping over ‘Brewing’ (not beers), ‘Becoming’ (not Obamas) and ‘Locked Away’ (not Mansons). Sigh 👻
River Dixon creates landscapes, moods, friends, scenes of love and death… and then, in the middle of it all, he is just standing there, on the pier, throwing stones from a bridge. Hm, I guess the author is simply playing with us – check the poem ‘Hide and Seek’:
I’ll be safe
In these spaces between
Where no one
Can find me
Ta-Ta-Ta -Ta! As a regular follower of the ‘Poirot’ series (this is the very first thing I do after my coffee, every damn day – watching 1 episode with Hercule Poirot), I have ONLY TWO questions for River Dixon:
- Whom are you hiding from, Mr. Dixon?
- If nobody is seeking… how are you planning to be found? 👽
There is no direction
When every way is the only way
That leads back to where we began…
Ah, what a mouth-watering line! He is simply ‘Meant to Be’ a poet… and yes, we believe all your promises, River:
No more shivering in the cold
No more darkness
Only light…
What’s left to add? 📚
This is a book full of vulnerability, honesty, passion and loss. I’m amazed at the imagery that comes alive out of each phrase. Anyone who reads this book will find a connection with the author and maybe even is going to feel reborn (it’s a vampire-thing! 😂).
Now run-run-run and read the absolutely wonderful poem that starts with the words:
I took two steps
Then gave up…
One of Ray’s & Hemingway’s favorites!
(because every true poem ends in death…)
Why you should read this book?
- A great addition to your dark autumn collection!
- Romantic, philosophical and haunting.
- It’s like Christmas for poetry lovers! 🌪🔥
- Raw (heartfelt) book of beautiful poems!
From Ray: It is NEVER TOO LATE to start reading great poetry!
x x x
Visit author’s page: The Stories in Between Blog
Check book on Amazon: Left Waiting on Amazon – link
Follow author on Goodreads: Goodreads page – book and Goodreads page – author
If you are up for dark & twisted tales from River Dixon (horror) – CHECK IT NOW! IT IS A HALLOWEEN FFS!
Leave review and follow River Dixon… do NOT be ‘greedy’ with your words – spread light and kindness around 💃💃
Next post – “The Pearl Territory”, ch. 25 – Mimo #personaljournal
River is good at what he does. I read his book of short stories and was impressed; but, his poems are crafted beautifully. They are his strength…
Agreed 🙂
And yes enjoyed reading his stories, too – bloody delight 😂
He is an exceptionally talented writer.
And you are the best champion of poetry! 🏆
( Psst do let me know when you get answers to your questions!😉)
Haha I have to involve Poirot now… in River’s “Hide & Seek-Waiting” games 🙂
Excellent choice! 🤓
😅👻✌️💕💕
This is a book full of vulnerability, honesty, passion and loss – That’s quite something
:)) that’s how* you describe a good poetry 🙂 ✌️
And that’s one of the reasons why your poetry collection is next on my list 🙂
😉 great… I’ll remember that 😂👻🕺
Read it and I agree with everything u said.
✌️👍💕💕
If the book is half as good as the review it’s a winner. Nice job VR.
😂😂😂
You won’t find there Hercule Poirot 👻, but it’s a great book of poetry (especially for those who are writing/criticizing poetry & simply enjoying reading poetry = #amust).
You are a super public advocate for the arts, VR
I love this new title 😀🕺🕺🕺
Senior Vice President and Public Advocate for the Arts is your full title.
Perfect!! 👌☕️☕️
😊 🍩 ☕️
The book is better … I’m just having fun 🙂 plus it’s interesting to review poetry books – so different from prose
Heyyyyy! I just bumped into your great review of my short story on Amazon. How very kind of you to do! Thank you!
It was really interesting story, well done! 👍👍
Thank you. That means a lot to me. I know how much you’ve covered literature in general. I should have edited that story much more, but…it is what it is and it kicked off my ‘writing’..
I think it was very smooth clear style & emotional, easy to read. I think you def should write more prose/stories & maybe novels 👻🕺🕺🕺
Yes..I love writing in that style and I’m lucky enough to have two additional short stories published by Z Publishing House. ( the best story I’ve written is sitting in a digital file waiting for an agent to take it on.) Thank you for the feedback!
Well, if anything on Amazon – I’ll be happy to read… & I believe persistence is the key 🙂 you def got great skills! ✌️✌️
:0) I do love to write. The others are both on Amazon. ( I had nothing to do with the price point of the books, the publisher controlled that.) Maybe I should make posts with links to them on Amazon.
Yes I think you should post links (at least once a week) …it would attract more people to read.
Famous paraphrased quote by someone: “I wrote a novel because I didn’t have the talent to write poetry.”
Yes I heard something similar haha 😂
We are poets inside 🙂 but it takes different forms…
Good novel is a great thing too 😜😉👻👻
I think you may be one of the most entertaining people I have ever met. Virtually and in real life. Thank you.
Thank you 🙂 it was a great poetry book & im pretty boring in real life 😂😂
Kinda difficult to be “Ray” everywhere I go: online & in life 🙂
I’m boring too. Or so I’m told.
😅😅 but at least we are not boring in our art/books/writing ✍️
I had a LOT of fun in my younger days. Now, I welcome boring.
same… ah, this is what gives us ‘food’ for our writing – experience :))
Got it – reading it – will review (once I recover from the buzz of reading yours!)
I love poetry ❤️