Review of Secondary Worlds
Posted: 09 Dec 2024, 10:50
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Secondary Worlds" by Aaron Gedaliah.]
Secondary Worlds by Aaron Gedaliah is a poetry book that explores aspects of an alternative world. Gedaliah lives in Haight-Ashbury, a district of San Francisco and has written more poetry since retirement. His first book, The False God's Lullaby, was published in late 2023.
Gedaliah explains in the preface that the book's title was inspired by WH Auden describing works of art as secondary worlds. Gedaliah has focused on secondary worlds and the human condition for this poetry collection. His poems explore the creation of imaginary worlds that enable escape from the burden of the real world. Deeper subjects are the primary focus, but there are lighter moments of irony and humour.
I found some of the poems in the section The Shadow of Evil to be particularly powerful. Two of the poems made a lasting impression on me. Yom Ha Shoa reflects on growing up as a Jewish boy, the dark shadows created by prejudice and the sorrow when remembering the victims of the Holocaust. After reading this poem, I continued to think about it for some time. Another poem in this section is Elegy for Maria Trinidad, a sad and lyrical poem about a young girl who died in a concentration camp. This poem evoked feelings that lingered in my mind long after I had read it. Still in this section, there is The God Game, which takes a different stance and features the voice of a militant Christian who rejects anyone different and fights against those who question the place of religion in our lives.
Gedaliah brings humour into some of his poems, such as Curmudgeon's Battle Cry 2025! which is an outraged but humorous look at the indignities of modern culture. The last section has a poem called Awake at 4 am, a haunting poem in which the poet is visited by his late grandmother in his dreams. Makandura was the last poem and it evoked the comfort and beauty of experiencing a different culture.
Secondary Worlds would appeal to readers who enjoy poetry that explores the human condition and questions the meaning of life. Although I enjoyed reading the humorous poems in Joy of Ranting, they didn't evoke the strength of feeling that some of the more serious poems did. I don't think I will read them again, but I will revisit some of the others. With this in mind, I award the book 4 out of 5 stars.
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Secondary Worlds
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Secondary Worlds by Aaron Gedaliah is a poetry book that explores aspects of an alternative world. Gedaliah lives in Haight-Ashbury, a district of San Francisco and has written more poetry since retirement. His first book, The False God's Lullaby, was published in late 2023.
Gedaliah explains in the preface that the book's title was inspired by WH Auden describing works of art as secondary worlds. Gedaliah has focused on secondary worlds and the human condition for this poetry collection. His poems explore the creation of imaginary worlds that enable escape from the burden of the real world. Deeper subjects are the primary focus, but there are lighter moments of irony and humour.
I found some of the poems in the section The Shadow of Evil to be particularly powerful. Two of the poems made a lasting impression on me. Yom Ha Shoa reflects on growing up as a Jewish boy, the dark shadows created by prejudice and the sorrow when remembering the victims of the Holocaust. After reading this poem, I continued to think about it for some time. Another poem in this section is Elegy for Maria Trinidad, a sad and lyrical poem about a young girl who died in a concentration camp. This poem evoked feelings that lingered in my mind long after I had read it. Still in this section, there is The God Game, which takes a different stance and features the voice of a militant Christian who rejects anyone different and fights against those who question the place of religion in our lives.
Gedaliah brings humour into some of his poems, such as Curmudgeon's Battle Cry 2025! which is an outraged but humorous look at the indignities of modern culture. The last section has a poem called Awake at 4 am, a haunting poem in which the poet is visited by his late grandmother in his dreams. Makandura was the last poem and it evoked the comfort and beauty of experiencing a different culture.
Secondary Worlds would appeal to readers who enjoy poetry that explores the human condition and questions the meaning of life. Although I enjoyed reading the humorous poems in Joy of Ranting, they didn't evoke the strength of feeling that some of the more serious poems did. I don't think I will read them again, but I will revisit some of the others. With this in mind, I award the book 4 out of 5 stars.
******
Secondary Worlds
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon