Review of The graveyard and other poems

[Kaivalya Khisti]

[Following is a volunteer review of "The graveyard and other poems" by Mae Bea Sayes.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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The graveyard and other poems by Mae Bea Sayes is a short collection of soulful poems. The main theme running through this collection is death, a sombre, inevitable reality. The poems reflect a sense of love lost, redemption denied, incomplete stories, and broken dreams. In a way, I felt that Sayes wanted to imprint the finality of death on readers’ minds, all the while lamenting the fateful journey of troubled souls.

Sayes writes with a rustic charm reminiscent of poets like Keats and Byron. Her style seemed influenced by traditional meters underscoring the poignancy of the lyrics. The poems have a dark, nostalgic, and sombre mood, binding all of them together in a web of complex human experiences.

The poems are short but not as easy to read or understand. There are many layers to each poem that the readers would need to peal to understand Sayes’ inferences. I thought the beauty of the book lay exactly in this experience - of reading a poem over and over again, each time coming up with new thoughts and emotions.

The lyrics talk about death-like coma, redemption from sin, the pursuit of penance, and the quandary of love. The poetess uses descriptions like ‘green moss of the grave’, ‘grey stone’, etc. to harmonise the visuals she creates of her idea of graveyards. My favourite poem was ‘Angel in the House’. The unmistakable irony of an idea of an angelic girl was incredibly built.

I had no complaints about the book. It is professionally edited. There were no grammatical mistakes. I would rate the book 5 out of 5 stars. The poems are well structured and organised in a manner that keeps readers ensconced in a reflective mood.

This book is not meant for readers who enjoy straightforward, contemporary-style poems that follow typical rhyme schemes. The book is more for readers who enjoy traditional poetry talking about contemporary ideas. Though the book is short, true fans of poetry would spend considerable time on each poem, trying to figure out the multitude of ideas and emotions embedded in them. The vocabulary used is also quite rich. Readers whose native language is not English might need help understanding certain words.

Overall this was an enriching read for me. I recommend the book to readers who enjoy poetry and are willing to invest some time in meaningful reflection. Readers who like dark themes would very much enjoy this book.

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The graveyard and other poems
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