The Language of Dreamers

We'd hold on as it tumbled, mole ruit sua,
Beneath its own weight.
The poem, "Purse of Fortunatus", dances the reader through rhymed couplets in a pagan incantation of visions in crystal and glass, and is Celtic in tone, with its final couplet addressing sensuality:

Goddess of circles and crop rites confess!
Sparks or adieu? A gentleman's guess.

Sutherland's section will never bore, often surprises, and guarantees the satisfaction of the reader.

Doug Tanoury wrote the introduction to the book, and it was part of his statement that I used for the title to this article. "Metaphors, similes, symbols, and images are the language of dreamers," he writes. Much of Tanoury's own poetry has a visionary quality, and much of his language as well, with words like nimbus, aspen, lushness and others centering the mind of the reader in a specific detailed context. One of the poems that struck me immediately was "Orpheus in O'Hare". As I read the poem, I realized that's exactly what the airport is like; the poem, grounded in a real setting, takes the reader into a setting that is strictly poetry. Tanoury grounds the poem with descriptive images such as Under jaundiced light from recessed lamps and slides the reader into a different dimension that is so alike, yet different from the physical setting.

I am Orpheus descended in the underworld
Moving through the dull glow of Hades
Filled with spirits trapped and trudging
Aimless in corridors with terrazzo floors

Tanoury is a craftsman, and this is evident in all of the poems in his section. "Sabine Hills" muses in abbreviated lines and artistic images. Another of my favorites, "The Presence of Your Absence", works this oxymoronic title into a statement of loss, likened to a loyal dog, unwilling/to leave me unattended.

The final selections in the book are by the group's youngest member, Mike Timonin. Timonin favors unconventional lines, mostly although not exclusively short, but with understated energy. Tanoury's introduction mentions this poet's wit, and that is a quality evident in a piece that I thoroughly enjoyed. "Poet Seeks Patrons" centers on the angst felt by anyone who chooses to work in a largely unappreciated yet demanding genre.

Poet desperately seeks to sell out.
Poetry can still become crassly commercial.
Let the power of verse work for you.
Give me lots of money and I'll show you what

The copyright of the article The Language of Dreamers in Poetry is owned by Kay Day. Permission to republish The Language of Dreamers in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Go To Page: 1 2 3 4

Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic