Guest of Myself By John Grey

Guest of Myself

By John Grey

93 pages

ISBN: 978-81-8253-803-0

Cyberwit

Copyright 2021

 

Review by LB Sedlacek

 

I have always enjoyed reading John Grey’s poetry.  I’m not sure when I first read a poem by him, but when I come across his works in various publications I read I know I can always expect something good.  I am always reading, I love to read poetry as well as a variety of books such as mysteries, thrillers, science-fiction, and non-fiction.  I firmly believe to be a good poet or writer you must be a good reader, too so I’m always happy to find a poet’s work I like to follow and enjoy such as Grey’s.

 

In these poems, it’s not surprise that he writes with a different perspective.  He writes also with a sense of surety.

 

From the title poem, “Guest of Myself”: 

“I’m at this party,

so loud, so crowded,

my mind can’t help but

be elsewhere”

 

He leads you right into his poem, and makes you a part of it.  Who hasn’t been somewhere at sometime and then of course you start thinking about being somewhere else.

 

There’s a wide selection of topics in this new collection.  He gives us poems on gaits, a bobcat, creating art, and identity, etc. 

 

From the poem “The Home of CEO”s”: 

“I prefer the simpler image

of a poet standing outside the large metal gates,

trying to get a better view that way

but the house blocked by trees.”

 

There are some striking images in this poem.  Of course, there’s much to be found within the poetic walls of all of these poems.

 

From the poem “At Eighty-Seven”:

“He’d still strap on his old Gibson guitar,

pluck at the strings with wrinkled fingers,

sing in a deep cackle

the words he strained to remember.”

 

There is a visual in the voice of this poem.  The ending is right on the mark with a poem about music, and a musician.  But, there’s something beyond what’s on the page. 

 

Grey has had several of these poems in this new book published in various publications and journals.  It goes without saying, he is a skilled wordsmith.

 

From the poem “Radio”

“They gathered around the radio then.

Dinner over with, the family retreated to the parlor.”

 

As the poem says, gather around to read this book of poems by Grey.  It will simply make your day or evening all the better for it.

 

 

~LB Sedlacek’s latest poetry book is “Ghost Policy.”  She is also the author of the poetry collections “I’m No ROBOT,” “Words and Bones,” “Simultaneous Submissions,” “Swim,” and “The Poet Next Door.”  Her non-fiction books include “The Poet Protection Plan” and “Electric Melt:  How to Write, Publish, Read Walt Whitman and Survive as a Writer and Poet).  Her short story collection is entitled “Four Thieves of Vinegar & Other Short Stories.”  She writes poetry reviews for  www.thepoetrymarket.com  Find out more:  www.lbsedlacek.com