Book Review; The Face on Mars is in the Mirror

I’ll be honest and say in general poetry isn’t my thing. I like a good, thought out poem occasionally, but have never devoted my time to reading volumes of poetry. That said, I really enjoy reading poetry occasionally particularly when it offers insight on a particular subject that prose doesn’t quite capture as effectively. I found Wiskup’s anthology had some excellent selections and some very mediocre, but the poems that I was most drawn had the anti-establishment vibe, even more than specifically supernatural themed, which was what I assumed would be the focus based on the title of the anthology. I tend to push right past poetry with love as the subject, because it’s overdone and often very specific to the author and situation, although I did enjoy some of the scans of the original, handwritten work (I’m kind of a process nerd that way.) But some of the anti-establishment poetry really evoked a lyrical quality reminiscent of 70’s protest songs. Those seemed more natural and free flowing, whereas I found many of the others a bit forced, particularly some of the rhyme. I know there is a perception of every poem needing an ABAB or ABBA structure, but rhyme should really serve the poem rather than the poem serving the rhyme. I think I also would have preferred the anthology structured in thematic sections rather than just a glossary of themes at the back. That way I could have returned to reread several poems in a given section rather than flipping all over the book and getting frustrated. All told, however it is a good read, and for people like me who just have a few minutes here and there it provides some solid content to muse on for a while.

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