UNKINDNESS
Alex Phillips. H_NGM_N Books, $14.95
paperback (102p) ISBN: 978-0988228795
Unkindness is Alex Phillips' second
book-length poem. It is split into thirty six multi-layered sections, where
shifting perspectives cover various acts and consequences of human cruelty. The
poem, as its title suggests, tumbles through an amalgam of animosity ranging
from basic and personal selfishness, neglect and abusive behaviour to crimes of
terror and the unjust tragedies of war. There is an underlying sense of regret
and an overwhelming feeling of helplessness which gains momentum as the poem's
intensity increases. The piece begins matter-of-factly—
My species is engaged
in furious
acts
—setting an obvious precedent
which in spite of the poem's more obscure sections is maintained throughout the
book. As the pace progresses so does its
wordplay which skips and dances with rhythmic repetitions that hint more than
state, leaving plenty of room for interpretation. It is the building momentum
in subject matter and poetic phrasing which makes the poem work in terms of payoff.
While there is a clear and definite narrative, it is formed in thought-like
patterns which slip in and out of ambiguous territory as though the conscious
and subconscious mind are taking it in turns to tell the same story.
I line the past with gauze
The past is like a tunnel I stare into
The edges are fuzzy
and
soft
(p55)
It is perhaps the apparent
randomness of thought and how thought is influenced by memory and circumstance
that reveals the gems within the poem.
let’s all fall
by the
wayside
at the high
school
and remember that
it was the place
where everything
was
more of a high
resolution
version
(p56)
Through a carefully crafted
mixture of solid facts and fantasised emotional conjecture, the poem's
conclusions are left in the hands of the reader. As the author looks back at
familiar feelings of isolation and rejection, as well as security and joy from
his high-school days, the reader's own experiences and agendas become central
to the poem's essence.
Did I tell you
about
becoming captain
Well I'm the fucking captain
I would not pick you even if every
single other was an amoeba
and the game was to be multicellular
(p65)
For an informed understanding of
humanities unkind nature one has to know something of its brighter and lighter
side. There are moments of wonder and refreshing vulnerability within this work
that are almost like pools of clean water in a desert of grim despair. The poet
also uses a tongue-in-cheek humour to give context to the crushing aspects of
mankind's cold savagery. Unkindness picks apart individual
malevolence and collective heartlessness and puts them back together in a way
that demonstrates how these unfortunate bedfellows are spawned from the same
place. At the root of all unkind deeds is a seed of self, and it doesn't take
much in the way of encouragement for that seed to sprout and grow. (June 2014)
Purchase Unkindness HERE.
Reviewer bio: Matthew J. Hall is
a writer who lives in Bristol, England. His poems have been published in
various literary mags and he regularly highlights new and exciting writing
within the small press on his blog screamingwithbrevity.com
