Review of Askew

[Brendan Donaghy]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Askew" by Robert Vaughan.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Askew is the latest collection of poetry by Robert Vaughan. It contains seventy-six poems evenly divided across three sections. Each section starts with a song lyric from well-known recording artists. The influence of music on the poet can also be seen in the titles of poems ‘borrowed’ from musicians such as Annie Lennox and the Cocteau Twins, while other pieces are inspired by, or allude to, Abba, Sinead O’Connor and several others. Movies provide another reference point; the title of ‘Moonstruck’ is taken from the 1987 movie of that name, while ‘The West was Once a Direction’ features a movie from the 1950s that starred Robert Mitchum and Marilyn Monroe.

The book’s title provides a signpost to the themes of the collection. These are poems about fragmentation and isolation, written by a poet feeling more than a little askew in the world he inhabits. Mostly, this sense of alienation springs from the disconnect he experiences in his personal relationships. He explores these feelings in lines of free verse, including some epistolary poems. Some of the poems are set in New York City while others have a more rural backdrop.

There is much to enjoy and admire in this book, starting with its attractive cover. The artwork and design for this have been created by David Carter and Adam Van Winkle respectively, and they’ve done an excellent job. The cover sets the tone for what is a high-quality collection of contemporary poems. Free verse can sometimes seem too loose or unstructured, but Vaughan’s lines are held together by a natural beat and rhythm, helped with occasional half-rhymes and alliteration: ‘He posts their baby’s photos / in bassinettes, bows, bundles / of joy on Twitter, each / coo and cuddle / calculated.’ (‘The Happy Couple’, page 18)

This poet’s world is one where relationships lead to disillusionment, wrecked by death, betrayal or distance. Communication is always the first casualty: ‘the way you walked out / without a word / no note / no e-mail / just a vacancy / on the horizon.’ (‘Look!’, page 31) Whether it’s the separation that death brings or the end of a romantic relationship, the poet feels fragmented: ‘I am afraid of who I am / When you leave / I scatter.’ (‘Ode to the Dead’, page 23) In one poem, he uses the American West as a metaphor for a journey of self-discovery but worries about what he’ll find: ‘And as I delve further and further West, will I be / lost in the story I tell my fractured self?’ (‘The West was Once a Direction’, page 32)

I found nothing to dislike about this book. As with all collections, some poems resonated with me immediately while a few didn’t evoke the same response; each reader will have a different set of poems that fall into these two categories.

I am happy to award this book four stars out of four. It has been professionally edited, and I found only a handful of minor mistakes. The collection deals with adult themes and behaviour. There are, accordingly, some references to sex and a few instances of strong language. I recommend it to readers who enjoy contemporary poetry that speaks from the heart as much as the head.

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Askew
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[Blessing E]

Poetry is powerful. That is what I believe. It has in it the form of art that speaks to the mind. Well done on a well articulated review

[Ifesi]

Poetry is captivating. Thanks to the author for making the book easy to understand. Thanks for a wonderful and intriguing review.

[ellimctreph]

Not usually a fan of poetry but this sounds like and interesting read. Great review.

[Uwe Neufeld]

I admire writers who venture into poetry, real poetry I mean, with rhyme and harmony. Fine review though!

[nwankwo chibuchi]

This is for lovers of poetry who desire to enjoy different poems on different topics and themes. They'll have a great time reading through this book. Great review.

[Peace10]

Lovers of poetry will definite love this. It’s gonna be difficult to understand for people who does not love poetry.