Huge congratulations, John – ‘Awake at 3AM’ is a truly superb collection of outstanding poems. So many descriptors came to mind when reading your poems – one overriding one is diversity. What I love is the diversity of subject matter, style of writing and formatting. Your subject matter goes from broad societal issues to personal ones exploring family relationships and love and loss.
Your style too is such a differing palette – some have such a light touch especially those about your family (which are some of my personal favourites) and some are painted with broad brushstrokes and knock you out with their force. They are so raw with anger or passion or both.
Your formatting runs the gamut from prose poems, to sestinas, to a ghazal to long form and others. This is a treat for your readers. Lots of collections have a sameness about each poem. Individually they might be good but all together in a collection there is too much repetition.
There are so many stunning images and clever metaphors throughout. I’d be here all day listing them.
Well done, John, your poems are of an incredible standard and it was an honour to read them all.
Maggie Farr
“John Bartlett’s ‘Songs of the Godforsaken’ – his collection of poems full of condensed images, slivers of sensitivity and silent pain, and words deeply crafted. This is intensive stuff, to be read slowly. “ (Warren F.)
