POETRY BOOK REVIEW
– Click http://deanjbaker.com/theherald.html to buy, no postage, no tax – copies with me are running out
The Herald by Dean J Baker
Review by Val B. Russell
Every book of poetry is an invitation to climb inside the poet’s sensibility, to view the world through the introspection self through others. The subject matter is diverse, not always traversing the usual emotional terrain. Of course the best poetry is that which affects and caresses the spirit of the reader, stripping the human condition bare naked to examine the stunning beauty as well as the hideously ugly blemishes of love and life on this planet.
The broadness of the interpretation of any poem is determined by the skill of the poet coupled with a willingness to be revelatory. In Dean J. Baker’s volume of poetry The Herald, revelation and skill are in abundance. There is an emotional flourish to his verse when discussing love, sex and relationships that is dramatic and bold and fully necessary when doing the walk through the dark alleys of love, loss and renewal. There are no halfway journeys to self understanding in this book. All expressions are extreme and fiery, sometimes caustic, many times witty and always brutally honest. Dean Baker writes poetry for both fools and angels; those with an insatiable curiosity to live life despite the painful consequences, simply because the reward is a depth of understanding you can acquire no other way.
On one page a chronicle of heart aching loneliness, on the next, wary and astute observations of the motives of others, cheeky, flirty and lusty odes to past loves, wounds replete with blood and guts awaiting the final dirge until you reach the last page where a healing through wisdom has taken place silently right under your nose, as in the poem Invitation:
You’ve caught me with
my suicide mask wearing thin-
Death, an old sidekick
and various forms of unrequited love;
accompanied by
virgin humiliation,
strike the bone of the ghost-rdden
music that echoes in the
hollow of my heart
Interspersed throughout the text you will also find words like stinging scorpions, a criticism aimed with deadly accuracy at a society determined to destroy art with the superficiality and disregard for anything not associated with greed, status or instant gratification, such as in the poem Allegorical Imperatives:
Accomplices to the culture still-born, these
picayune mediocrities forge no sense
of self: damage or display apologists
You do well to beware such politics;
domestic confederates, nationalist failures:
the talented and their imitators
The Herald is more than a volume of poetry, it is a fight with words, where the pugulist punches his way out of himself and into an emotional liberation. My only criticism of this book is that it isn’t fatter with more poems but that being said, the quality of writing is astounding and it only whets the reader’s appetite for much more.
Dean J. Baker is a poet, satirist, songwriter and talented musician. He has traveled extensively, making him an astute observer and adept critic of human nature. He can be found blogging here: deanjbaker.wordpress.com and you can purchase his books here: deanjbaker.com
You can also friend him on facebook and follow him on twitter.
Posted in BOOK REVIEWS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Herald by Dean J. Baker
August 22, 2010 by scullylovepromo
Book Review
Title: The Herald
Author: Dean J. Baker
Publisher: Mad Poet Press
Released: 2010
Pages: 50
ISBN: 978-1-926825-24-3
Stars: 4.0
Dean J. Baker is an edgy, opinionated Canadian poet whose work has been complimented by no less an authority than Irving Layton. I cannot disagree with the Nobel Prize nominee when he states that,
“Dean is a combination of thought and torment that has made him write more than a Baker’s dozen of fine poems…he might produce a collection that could astound us all.”
Baker’s compilation of poems entitled The Herald prove that he is a contemporary wordsmith of the finest caliber who injects each line with keen observation, poignant beauty and pain. He obviously writes from experience and reminisces about everything from childhood (Rice Lake, 1962) to relationships (License and A Friend), failed romance (Pollyanna and Matins) and the torment of his muse (A Jealous God).
One can sense the influence of Allen Ginsberg and Bob Dylan in particular with a pinch of Mordecai Richler attitude thrown in for good measure. However, Baker’s voice is uniquely his own and he knows how to wring emotion as well as remarkable, visceral landscapes from his pen.
Some of my favourites from The Herald include The Uselessness of Want, The Life of the Sensitive Kid, The Poetry Hotel, Coming of Age, Last Romantic, Invitation and…
This Earth
What was I running from
when everything was
beside me
Shaking at the thought
of you, inside
each move I made
When I couldn’t say
who was called that night
into silence
whispering
in my pain
You
You
it is myself
I come upon like this
Dean J. Baker has a somewhat lewd sense of humour (that I can often appreciate) which is more evident in his descriptive and satiric prose, Baker’s Bad Boys, dedicated to his brother Terry and their naughty childhood delinquent poo-flinging escapades; and at times, an irascible intellect that does not seem to suffer fools gladly.
Baker is also a romantic 21st century man whose non-conformance to political correctness probably gets him into hot water with women but I’m sure they never stop falling for his astonishing way with words.
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©Dean J. Baker and deanjbaker.wordpress.com, 2011. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material that appears here or has appeared here without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. All material is covered by international intellectual property laws. All characters are the sole property of ©Dean J. Baker and have been so since 2005-2006. They may not be used in any form. Failure to comply with this will be taken as copyright infringement and plagiarism and acted upon with all and full legal means. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Dean J. Baker and deanjbaker.wordpress.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content, and the author is informed.
Permission to reprint in full, or part, must be requested of the author in advance.
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And another review on Goodreads
Poet Dean Baker has no qualms about diving into the waters of controversy. That is evident in poems like “Licence”, “Pollyanna” and “Invitation”. Some of the poems are definitely not “politically correct”. That is precisely why he is one of today’s best poets. Another aspect I enjoy is the diversity of his writing. Anyone who enjoys poetry should treat themselves to “The Herald”. The genre is far from dead. I very much enjoyed reading it and I would recommend this book to anyone who wishes to indulge in some great literary creations!
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/118107909
Poet Dean Baker has no qualms about diving into the waters of controversy. That is evident in poems like “Licence”, “Pollyanna” and “Invitation”. Some of the poems are definitely not “politically correct”. That is precisely why he is one of today’s best poets. Another aspect I enjoy is the diversity of his writing. Anyone who enjoys poetry should treat themselves to “The Herald”. The genre is far from dead. I very much enjoyed reading it and I would recommend this book to anyone who wishes to indulge in some great literary creations!
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http://resamcconaghy.com/book-log-2/
I even wrote a review on it. It’s my first real review, ever.
Dean J. Baker’s, THE HERALD might be a thin book, but it is fat inside.
I sense an attempt to understand what cannot be understood. His words have eyes that see pain, disdain, humor, erotic ennui, anger and loving contempt. It’s provocative prose that evokes a lot of emotion in me.
Phrases from two poems that linger on in my mind are A DEDICATION: “you bring us back from gloom by your visit and surprise” and BATHURST YARDS: “no one’s serious the disturbance temporary”
You can buy his book, as I did, with PayPal on-line.
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from a review of The Herald: “This is more in the way of first impressions than a proper review, but I wanted to say something upon reading The Herald through because I was so drawn into the poems’ images and cadences — I thought their ability to imprint their visions in my mind on a first reading was something remarkable. The other aspects that struck me on this first reading in a similar way of standing out and being not necessarily expected were the maleness, the toughness, and the vulnerability that come through the poems, and come through in so many different ways — ways that are both idiosyncratic and rooted in a poetic tradition (so the language is familiar but conveys its own sense). I look forward to reading the collection more thoroughly and exploring the additional layers to the poems and my response to them.” Diana Moses
©Dean J. Baker and deanjbaker.wordpress.com, 2012. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material that appears here or has appeared here without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. All material is covered by international intellectual property laws. All characters are the sole property of ©Dean J. Baker and have been so since 2005-2006. They may not be used in any form. Failure to comply with this will be taken as copyright infringement and plagiarism and acted upon with all and full legal means. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Dean J. Baker and deanjbaker.wordpress.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content, and the author is informed.
Permission to reprint in full, or part, must be requested of the author in advance.
Limited, numbered edition books AVAILABLE at Dean J. Baker - $15.00 each, to anywhere in North America & Europe
