Review of Speaks for Itself
Posted: 10 Mar 2022, 08:56
[Following is a volunteer review of "Speaks for Itself" by Jeffrey Paul Bailey..]
Speaks for Itself: A Commodity of Musings from My Life by Jeffrey Paul Bailey is a collection of 64 poems. They are a delightful mix of musings that are sometimes obvious in their meaning and, other times, obfuscate the subject the writer is addressing. Bailey reflects and recounts his feelings and observations about several aspects or moments of his life. These include, but are not limited to, love, guilt, disappointment, pain, expectation, politics, and betrayal. The poems are all designed to evoke emotions in the reader.
I will start by saying that while I often read and enjoy poems, I do not know any of the rules that might be associated with the craft. The poet’s style is free, and in most of the poems, he doesn’t use rhyme or meter. Each poem is structurally and stylistically different from the other, giving a glimpse into the poet’s mind as he wrote each of them. The poet masterfully uses metaphors and similes, evoking the reader’s feelings instead of telling what he was feeling. The titles of the poems, while not always straightforward, add to the reader’s experience because they set the tone for the poem and give context that would otherwise be lacking. My favorite example of this is Waiting for the Other Shoe to Drop. From I read the title, my mood was already tense because that is the emotion that phrase elicits in me. Bailey presents a work that is thought-provoking and relatable to the average person.
The reader needs to know that, while each of these poems is a masterpiece in its own right, they are all largely pessimistic. They not only speak about negative subjects, but they also convey the poet’s opinions, which align with a more cynical and bleak outlook on life. While entertaining, it can color the reader’s view and leave them with a morose feeling afterward. There are minor issues with grammar and punctuation, but with poems, it is hard to tell if it is an error or a stylistic choice that the poet consciously made.
I want to discuss the cover. I couldn’t decide whether it was positive or negative. Cartoons, by nature, even when darker and grittier in their subject matter, aren’t associated with seriousness. A reader might not choose this book because of the illustration on the front. On the other hand, the illustration is a poem in and of itself. Being a visual representation of the phrase “hold your tongue” and mocking life as they walk along Easy St. The more you look at it, is the more possible meanings it could have. Personally, I wouldn’t have picked this book up if I saw the cover, and I would have missed out on a gem. I only gained an appreciation for the cover after reading the poems inside.
I give this book a 4 out of 4 stars. The poems were interesting and had me contemplating many events in my life. There were also many hidden gems. They taught me new things and gave me something to contemplate. I couldn’t give this anything less than 4-stars. Despite the cover, I picked it up and couldn’t put it down.
I recommend this book to poetry lovers. Because of the subjects addressed and the tone of the poems, it might be more suitable for mature audiences. Though, I think any reader could enjoy and learn something.
******
Speaks for Itself
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Speaks for Itself: A Commodity of Musings from My Life by Jeffrey Paul Bailey is a collection of 64 poems. They are a delightful mix of musings that are sometimes obvious in their meaning and, other times, obfuscate the subject the writer is addressing. Bailey reflects and recounts his feelings and observations about several aspects or moments of his life. These include, but are not limited to, love, guilt, disappointment, pain, expectation, politics, and betrayal. The poems are all designed to evoke emotions in the reader.
I will start by saying that while I often read and enjoy poems, I do not know any of the rules that might be associated with the craft. The poet’s style is free, and in most of the poems, he doesn’t use rhyme or meter. Each poem is structurally and stylistically different from the other, giving a glimpse into the poet’s mind as he wrote each of them. The poet masterfully uses metaphors and similes, evoking the reader’s feelings instead of telling what he was feeling. The titles of the poems, while not always straightforward, add to the reader’s experience because they set the tone for the poem and give context that would otherwise be lacking. My favorite example of this is Waiting for the Other Shoe to Drop. From I read the title, my mood was already tense because that is the emotion that phrase elicits in me. Bailey presents a work that is thought-provoking and relatable to the average person.
The reader needs to know that, while each of these poems is a masterpiece in its own right, they are all largely pessimistic. They not only speak about negative subjects, but they also convey the poet’s opinions, which align with a more cynical and bleak outlook on life. While entertaining, it can color the reader’s view and leave them with a morose feeling afterward. There are minor issues with grammar and punctuation, but with poems, it is hard to tell if it is an error or a stylistic choice that the poet consciously made.
I want to discuss the cover. I couldn’t decide whether it was positive or negative. Cartoons, by nature, even when darker and grittier in their subject matter, aren’t associated with seriousness. A reader might not choose this book because of the illustration on the front. On the other hand, the illustration is a poem in and of itself. Being a visual representation of the phrase “hold your tongue” and mocking life as they walk along Easy St. The more you look at it, is the more possible meanings it could have. Personally, I wouldn’t have picked this book up if I saw the cover, and I would have missed out on a gem. I only gained an appreciation for the cover after reading the poems inside.
I give this book a 4 out of 4 stars. The poems were interesting and had me contemplating many events in my life. There were also many hidden gems. They taught me new things and gave me something to contemplate. I couldn’t give this anything less than 4-stars. Despite the cover, I picked it up and couldn’t put it down.
I recommend this book to poetry lovers. Because of the subjects addressed and the tone of the poems, it might be more suitable for mature audiences. Though, I think any reader could enjoy and learn something.
******
Speaks for Itself
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon