BARK
by John Yamrus
Published by Epic Rites Press, 2013
Poetry by John Yamrus
Exterior art by Henry Denander
53 pages
$10 plus shipping
ISBN 978-1-926860-04-6
Available at Epic Rites Press.
Review by April Michelle Bratten
John Yamrus' latest collection, BARK, published by Epic Rites Press earlier this year, was a pleasant surprise in my mailbox one afternoon. With no frills and no complications, BARK was an easy and enjoyable read in one sitting. A selection of poems that are either about or involving dogs, BARK is a collection that Yamrus is very proud of, as he should be.
As a dog owner in the past, the stories Yamrus tells about his own dogs in particular tugged at my heart strings and memories of my pets. However, BARK is not just a book about dogs. It is a book about innocence, friendship, compassion, and love. Will you enjoy BARK more if you are/were a pet owner? Probably. But the great thing about this book is that these poems can be enjoyed by anyone.
I have read a good number of themed collections in my reading career. Some are successful, while many others fail to keep the subject new and interesting throughout the work. Since BARK follows the common thread of dogs, I was curious to see how Yamrus would attempt to approach his subject throughout the collection in thoughtful ways. Yamrus did very well. Since the poems in BARK were written over a number of years and brought together specifically for this collection, the dogs are presented to the reader in a multitude of ways. Sometimes a dog is the main subject of a poem, while other times the dog, or the nature of the dog, is an important catalyst for human reflection.
Yamrus shows a genuine respect and caring nature for dogs in this work. Each poem in BARK is a demonstration of his sincerity. A wonderful example of this is in his poem "a really bad poem about a real good dog..." The poem describes an aging dog and Yamrus' experience watching her in the final stage of life:
she walks slowly,
with her head down
and she keeps turning around
to look over her shoulder
to make sure i'm still there...
waiting.
and i stand
in the doorway
and watch.
and wait.
i owe her that much.
Pick up John Yamrus' BARK from Epic Rites Press today.
John Yamrus has been a fixture on the poetry scene since 1970. He's published nineteen volumes of poetry, two novels, and his poetry is widely published in magazines around the world. His poems have been taught at both the high school and the college level and selections of his work have been translated into several languages, including Spanish, Swedish, Italian, French, Japanese, and Romanian. His work has been described by the great Milner Place as "...a blade made from smooth honest steel, with the sharpest of edges." More information about John is available at www.JohnYamrus.com
by John Yamrus
Published by Epic Rites Press, 2013
Poetry by John Yamrus
Exterior art by Henry Denander
53 pages
$10 plus shipping
ISBN 978-1-926860-04-6
Available at Epic Rites Press.
Review by April Michelle Bratten
John Yamrus' latest collection, BARK, published by Epic Rites Press earlier this year, was a pleasant surprise in my mailbox one afternoon. With no frills and no complications, BARK was an easy and enjoyable read in one sitting. A selection of poems that are either about or involving dogs, BARK is a collection that Yamrus is very proud of, as he should be.
As a dog owner in the past, the stories Yamrus tells about his own dogs in particular tugged at my heart strings and memories of my pets. However, BARK is not just a book about dogs. It is a book about innocence, friendship, compassion, and love. Will you enjoy BARK more if you are/were a pet owner? Probably. But the great thing about this book is that these poems can be enjoyed by anyone.
I have read a good number of themed collections in my reading career. Some are successful, while many others fail to keep the subject new and interesting throughout the work. Since BARK follows the common thread of dogs, I was curious to see how Yamrus would attempt to approach his subject throughout the collection in thoughtful ways. Yamrus did very well. Since the poems in BARK were written over a number of years and brought together specifically for this collection, the dogs are presented to the reader in a multitude of ways. Sometimes a dog is the main subject of a poem, while other times the dog, or the nature of the dog, is an important catalyst for human reflection.
Yamrus shows a genuine respect and caring nature for dogs in this work. Each poem in BARK is a demonstration of his sincerity. A wonderful example of this is in his poem "a really bad poem about a real good dog..." The poem describes an aging dog and Yamrus' experience watching her in the final stage of life:
she walks slowly,
with her head down
and she keeps turning around
to look over her shoulder
to make sure i'm still there...
waiting.
and i stand
in the doorway
and watch.
and wait.
i owe her that much.
Pick up John Yamrus' BARK from Epic Rites Press today.
John Yamrus has been a fixture on the poetry scene since 1970. He's published nineteen volumes of poetry, two novels, and his poetry is widely published in magazines around the world. His poems have been taught at both the high school and the college level and selections of his work have been translated into several languages, including Spanish, Swedish, Italian, French, Japanese, and Romanian. His work has been described by the great Milner Place as "...a blade made from smooth honest steel, with the sharpest of edges." More information about John is available at www.JohnYamrus.com
