SPEAKS FOR ITSELF

A volume of poetry focuses on a man’s myriad misgivings.

These poems come from a deeply personal place and center on the speaker’s sense of being wronged. He seeks approval from an educator in “Teacher’s Pet.” “Den of Iniquity” hints at an adult who still lives at home with an oblivious parent. “Old Crows” explores the titular winged creatures and their off-putting personalities. “Graveyard Shift” chronicles the journey of an atypical and misunderstood child as he turns into an eccentric and disenfranchised adult. “Afraid of the Dark” attempts to reframe the mental torment of a shadow self. The poet encourages himself to persevere despite naysayers and obstacles in “Get Me Through.” He laments his unattractive appearance and present circumstances in “Out of Whack.” “Glass House” is an angry diatribe directed at a nebulous “you.” “Suspicion/Extinction” kicks off with the grim proclamation that “Life’s a system of a disease underestimated.” “Neighbor” delves into an adolescent fantasy. “Never Go Back” is a mantra-style poem that emphasizes moving forward. Recurring themes include the battle of darkness versus light, the necessity of truth-telling, and the torturous nature of relationships. The poems in this ambitious collection are steeped in angst. Bailey’s strength lies in coaxing readers into serious subjects through apt metaphors, as when a poem seemingly about snow segues into a moving meditation on a life lived in isolation. But the rhyme scheme sometimes dilutes intense emotions that could have been more poignantly conveyed in free verse: “I feel as though I’m all alone / in the midst of a mayday overblown.” The poems are often skeletal in their lack of detail, becoming too vague to connect with. Readers sees the speaker’s thoughts on the page but get no sense of who he really is, where he is situated in the world, or why they should root for his success. In addition, the author occasionally leans too heavily on clichés, such as the glass house metaphor or phrases like sink or swim and come hell or high water.

A collection of thoughtful but uneven poems.