A beautiful collection of poems
Reviewed in India on May 1, 2019
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Nocturne by Phil Slattery is a beautiful collection of poems based on love, distance, and the dark night. The verses were written from about 1985 to 1993. I like the simplicity of the cover page. This is my first read from this author.
The author portrays his feelings very well. The emotional, geographical, and romantic change in the author's life is shown in his writing. I read this book in one go. Every word penned down by Phil Slattery shows his thoughtfulness. The verses are straight forward which makes it easy to read. It reflects the author's raw emotions. The collection of his work shows a specific journey and the image of a lover.
The poem is not in chronological order, and only a few of them have a title. The language is simple and easily understandable, but this book needs serious formatting. The book is self-published, and the author uses different pictures to supplement his message. I recommend this one.
"winning is for others isolation is for the damned."
Reviewed in the United States on August 21, 2019
So, while I'm no fan of poetry I decided to check this out to continue reading this author as I've enjoyed his other works.
In this, the author collects the poetry he had written when he was younger and traveling about and his flings with many women. It's accompanied by stock photos he chose that help further set the mood.
The whole thing is sad emotionally and very bittersweet and left me feeling rather melancholy when I was finished. With both the poems and the introduction this is a very personal look at part of the author's life. He comes across as a very real and interesting person.
While I won't pretend to have gained some newfound love of poetry, I was glad I read this. The author is very good with words whether it be horror, dark and twisted love stories, or poetry. So if you're like me and not much of a fan of this genre this is still worth taking a look at especially if you've enjoyed his other works.
Beautiful, Sad, Authentic and Vulnerable Look at Love and Loss
Reviewed in the United States on January 22, 2019
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Nocturne: Poems of Love, Distance, and the Night, a callous and disinterested lover by Phil Slattery is a deep and raw "picture" of experiencing love and lovers of varying type, capturing the moments of ecstasy and pain in a most beautiful way.
Slattery speaks with one voice as his words and pictures depict the full range of human love and loss that both tempts the soul to engage and urges the heart to resist. His opening quote by Augustine of Hippo captures this work perfectly: "I was not yet in love, yet I loved to love…I sought what I might love, in love with loving." --Augustine of Hippo
The poems are mostly untitled and written in free verse form. The reader meanders through the past relationships as they ebb and flow through varying stages. The introduction poem tells of the types of poem you will soon encounter:
nights of love
full of life and laughter
as empty as an empty
bottle
The poem closes:
Bring me to that ultimate pleasure
in your all-consuming eyes.
Let us become one
and share the horrors of this
world
All in all, Nocturne, is a beautiful but sad read that speaks to the reality of love and holds nothing back. It engages the mind and the heart longing for lasting, meaningful love that always seems just outside of its reach.
Great Poems with Pictures
Reviewed in the United States on August 11, 2018
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I like this author's poems which have a great feel to them. The book is about love but a lot more is included inside the pages. I like the photos the author included to enhance the poetry. A few of the poems held descriptive words about nature and I enjoyed the way the picture author paints in the readers mind is also displayed in the photographs that correspond with the words.
