MORE LITERARY CRITICISM BY ADAM DONALDSON POWELL.

JAN OSKAR HANSEN: “End Of A Voyage.”

Review of “End Of A Voyage – a Sailor’s home is a tranquil bay”, a new collection of poetry by Jan Oskar Hansen, Copyright 2007, 100 pages, softcover price: US$17.00. Published by Water Forest Press, New York, USA, www.waterforestpress.com, ISBN 10:0-9723493-5-9; ISBN 13: 978-0-9723493-5-2.

This latest collection of poetry and short prose by Jan Oskar Hansen exemplifies immense personal and artistic maturity. I have elsewhere written about Hansen’s genius as regards the art of storytelling, and this work is no exception. Hansen seems to re-set the bar with each book he writes – much like good whiskey .. improving with age and experience.

Having previously reviewed two other poetry collections by Hansen (Letters from Portugal and La Strada), I am somewhat familiar with both his writing style and his artistic progression. I am pleased to see that Hansen has (in this latest collection of poetry) successfully managed to combine poetic economy and succinctness with prosaic boundlessness; at the same time retaining his innate sense of literary rebelliousness, social and political commentary and overall evenness of quality.

Jan Oskar Hansen has what is referred to in Norwegian (the land of his birth and youth) as “bakkekontakt” (a sense of reality). Hansen’s work often leaves an almost bittersweet chocolate aftertaste, with the effect that the reader is invariably left with a craving for more. Perhaps the most striking and enticing aspect of these short stories in poetic prose form is also that which makes them somewhat “uncomfortable”: Hansen ingeniously presents contemporary issues and personal experience in a way that is immediately digestible, both honest and humorous in its portrayal of humanity; and which cleverly pulls the reader so easily into the reasoning of the stories told that one cannot help but to question one’s own personal values upon reflection. His experiences and his viewpoints suddenly become those of the reader, and in order to satisfy the yearning to learn more about oneself one simply has to continue slavishly from poem to poem .. and perhaps even to take a second read-through upon reading the last words in the book.

The quality and genius of Hansen’s writing speaks well enough for itself, but I will refer to a few examples from his book which I particularly like:

“Mother does the washing up at my place, only she has arthritis in her hands breaks a lot of glasses and plates, has backache too standing for hours bent over the sink; and anyway, as mother says: “It’s time you get married, I can’t go on forever, and you are not young anymore.”
So that’s what I will do, when the moon is really full, ask the simple girl to marry me, and I’ll send mother to a home for the infirm.” (from “Harvest Moon”).


And

There is but one vast ocean
with an ever changing name,
so much sea, so little land.
It is rising, turquoise death
nibbling at tropical islands;
beaches are moving inland,
a new Noah’s Ark, a pair of
each, female/male and no gay
parade on her deck, drifting
on a clueless, windless ocean,
often called: “Nothing to see
but fucking water.”
(from “The Ocean”)


Hansen has also included several haiku in this collection. Two of the many fine examples follow:

As August heat wafts
Wayside weeds collect dust
For a rainy day


And

The grove’s olive trees
Look like a vanquished army
Slowly marching home


In conclusion, I would heartily recommend End Of A Voyage – a Sailor’s home is a tranquil bay to all who are looking for a reading experience that goes far beyond the boundaries of traditional poetry; reaching into the psychology and the humour of the human condition.

About the author:
Jan Oskar Hansen, a Norwegian expatriate, has published a wealth of poems, including individual works published in various anthologies, on the internet, and three collections which previously have been published in book form: Letters from Portugal (BeWrite Books, UK 2003), Lunch in Denmark (Lightningsource, UK 2005) and La Strada (Lapwing, Belfast 2006).

See also Jan Oskar's website: http://www.literati-magazine.com/magazine_features/winter05/poetry/jan-hansen.html

LITERARY HOUSE REVIEW 2007.

(Published by Water Forest Press, a subsidiary of Skyline Publications, C/o Victoria Valentine, publisher and editor, New York, USA, www.waterforestpress.com, E-mail: WaterForestPress@aol.com; ISBN 10: 0-9723493-3-2, ISBN 13: 978-0-9723493-3-8, ISSN 1933-284X)

Literary House Review 2007 is a first-rate collection of short stories and poetry featuring forty-seven international authors, with an introduction by Stephanie Pope. This smartly-designed first annual edition (5.5 x 8.5 on #55 creme paper, and attractively bound with black and gold "tuxedo" laminated cover) boldly asserts itself as an evocative breath of fresh air in the small press literary industry. Literary House Review 2007 serves up whopping portions of captivating drama, mysterious thrillers, romance and heartwarming fiction interwoven with exceptional poetry.

Reasonably priced at US$16.00, this 224-page collection of sixteen stories and forty-one poems also showcases literary works by six Pushcart nominees: Russell H. Krauss, D.B. Williams, Elizabeth Dougherty Dolan, Steve Cartwright, Jacob Erin-Cilberto, and Sandee Lyles.

For more information about Literary House Review 2007 or other Skyline Publications, or to schedule an interview, please contact Victoria Valentine at WaterForestPress@aol.com or see www.skylinemagazines.com.

- Literary criticism by Adam Donaldson Powell (based upon Literary House Review, ISBN 13: 978-0-9723493-3-8)


ADAM DONALDSON POWELL (Norway) is a literary critic and a multilingual author, writing in English, Spanish, French and Norwegian; and a professional visual artist. He has published five books (including collections of poetry, short stories and literary criticism) in the USA, Norway and India, as well as several short and longer works in international literary publications on several continents. He has previously authored theatrical works performed onstage, and he has (to-date) read his poetry at venues in New York City, Oslo (Norway), Buenos Aires and Kathmandu (Nepal).


(Book cover image by courtesy of Water Forest Press.)

ORANIA HAMILTON: Romantic reverberations from a soulful new voice.

Review of “Cries of the Soul”, an exciting new collection of poetry by Orania Hamilton, Copyright 2007, 100 pages, perfect bound on #70 smooth crème paper, softcover price: US $10.00 / Canadian $12.00. Published by www.waterforestpress.com, New York, USA, ISBN 978-0-9723493-2-1, ISBN 10: 0-9723493-2-4.

Already in her preface to “Cries of the Soul”, Orania Hamilton gives the readers of her book a fitting indication of her philosophy of life, love and poetry: “Words like the wind touch each one of us as gentle rain washes away our tears. Poetry is like a seed planted in soil wanting to be nourished to grow with brilliant colors that please the human thought. Take my hand. Stroll with me through these pages of love, sadness, desire, happiness, family...and friends.” These are powerful words, which give rise to great expectations in terms of individual and collective identification on the part of the reader – and the author’s ability to communicate her perceptions and experiences on an interpersonal and artistic level.

Successful poetry is much more than mere wordplay and literary dexterity – it should evoke an “interplay” between author and reader, and invite the reader to personally “recognise” both the superficial and the deeper reaches of human behaviour and sentiment as presented by the author; as if looking into a mirror of inner reflection. It is a “spooky” experience to suddenly discover that another has gained insight into one’s own personal secret thoughts; and it is this characteristic of Hamilton’s poetry that makes it “soulful”.

There are many beautiful passages, notably:

I felt the grains slip through my fingers.
Jewels lose their luster.
I stand empty.
Love dies in your shadow.
- (“L’amour est mort.”)

and

Mortal.
Bring me to heights I
have not yet known.
- (“Echoes of the mind.”)

as well as

Outside my window, a pond offers
an artistic view of weeping willow.
Its branch tips curlicue in quiet water
like tears that sweep the cheek.
- (“Nourishment of the soul.”)


Orania Hamilton has taken upon herself a difficult task: to effectively write ‘romantic, traditional poetry’ in a contemporary context. The primary dangers of this style in a modern context are: perceived over-dramatisation and over-writing. For the most part, Ms. Hamilton effectively meets these challenges, but her success cannot be attributed to her literary talent alone – she manages to convey her personal maturity and self-reflection so effectively than any disposition towards overwriting and over-romanticising is readily accepted as intentional and a part of who she is, and is therefore “essential”. Her poetry is highly suitable for performance: either in front of an audience, or reciting to oneself – aloud, or through one’s nearly audible thoughts. This quality of “active (suitable for performance), yet reflective poetry” is somewhat reminiscent of literary traditions from ancient cultures; as well as of intimate literary “parlour soirées” of more recent centuries, and is – in my opinion – highly appropriate for reflective verse and prose.

That being said, my primary criticism regarding this collection of verse is that there is almost no relief from the personal intensity by an author who has much to say. Some of the passages in her poems would function quite well on their own as individual small poems, and the combination of shorter and longer works would give the entire collection a bit more ebb and flow. This is a common challenge for “gifted” poets .. to evaluate when “less” is “better”: the learned sense of trusting that one has actually found the source and centre .. the essence of the poetic sentiment .. within just a few lines. I am a great fan of rapturous poetry, but romantic and reflective poetry can also be achieved through brevity and simplicity. This has not so much to do with over-writing, but rather with feeling and presenting the “music” of the entire book in a total and integrated sense; including the pauses and silences.

That being said, I personally believe that Ms. Hamilton has a promising future ahead of her as an author; and I would encourage her especially to further develop her excellent talent for writing poetry that can be recited .. as well as read to oneself.

- Literary criticism by Adam Donaldson Powell (based upon Cries of the Soul, ISBN 978-0-9723493-2-1, ISBN 10: 0-9723493-2-4).


Orania Hamilton (USA) is a three-time nominee for the prestigious Pushcart Prize – Best of the Small Presses series (in 2005, 2006 and in 2007), which has been awarded each year (since 1976) to outstanding authors. In addition to having won several prizes for her poetry, Ms. Hamilton’s poetic works have been published in a number of literary magazines and anthologies the past several years. She has also been featured as a guest poet in the US and in England on several occasions. Orania Hamilton is of Greek descent and, while she is a relatively new “exciting voice” in the genre of poetry (since 1999), her work proudly recalls and furthers the Greek tradition of literary and poetic excellence the world has been so graciously blessed with since ancient times. “Cries of the Soul” is Ms. Hamilton’s first book-length poetry collection.


ADAM DONALDSON POWELL (Norway) is a literary critic and a multilingual author, writing in English, Spanish, French and Norwegian; and a professional visual artist. He has published five books (including collections of poetry, short stories and literary criticism) in the USA, Norway and India, as well as several short and longer works in international literary publications on several continents. He has previously authored theatrical works performed onstage, and he has (to-date) read his poetry at venues in New York City, Oslo (Norway), Buenos Aires and Kathmandu (Nepal).

Copyright 2007, Adam Donaldson Powell.


(Photo of author by courtesy of Orania Hamilton.)

GEERT VERBEKE: An enigma, a modern master and a spellbinder.

Literary criticism of the poetry and prose of Geert Verbeke (Flanders-Belgium), based upon “Brother Buddha”, 2007, Cyberwit (India), ISBN: 978-81-8253-094-2; “Frogs Croak”, 2007, Cyberwit (India), ISBN: 978-81-8253-091-1; “Rain”, 2005, Cyberwit (India), ISBN: 81-8253-021-0; “Jokerman”, 2005, Cyberwit (India), ISBN: 81-8253-038-5; and “Sweeps of Rain”, 2006, Cyberwit (India), ISBN: 81-8253-068-7.

The poetic artistry of Geert Verbeke.

It is not an easy process to become reviewed by “yours truly”. I do make several demands that have to do with professionalism and publishing achievements, as well as my commitment to raise awareness regarding small press published books written by international, bilingual/multilingual, and/or trans-cultural authors of poetry, prose and photography. I aim to re-enact a “renaissance” of literary criticism especially, which is critical, analytical and a subjective (yet professional) assessment of literary achievement and room for further development/improvement.

I write this review of the works of Geert Verbeke both in homage .. and in protest. It is simply “unfair” to challenge a reviewer with five books of such literary and philosophical quality and professional craftsmanship as is here the case. To be blunt, it is maddening .. to be sucked into the world and thinking of Geert Verbeke so easily – even though I consider myself to be a good critic in my area(s) of specialization – and to suddenly take on the role of ‘The Fool’ (in the Tarot) .. spellbound by the ‘magic’ of a master, who is both adept in his craftsmanship with regard to tradition and the expert ‘blasting’ of ever-developing contemporary expressions of haiku, tanka, senyru and haibun. He managed to “rope me in” .. despite several readings to double-check .. and I must simply declare Verbeke as a contemporary master. Damn!

Did I find no faults in these five books? Certainly, there are small issues that have to do with the occasional caesura placement or alternative suggestions in regard to how bilingual and multilingual versions of his haiku are presented on each page (sometimes I would prefer to have more space – i.e. to have each poem and its bilingual or multilingual versions on a page by itself), and the occasional typographical error .. but these things are trivialities. The man is a genius .. or/and ‘mad’ (in terms of artistic genius the two often go together).

Firstly, his understanding of the history and traditions of the art forms he employs is quite evident; and this understanding affords him the ability and the ‘right’ to experiment and further develop the literary forms he specializes in (including further development of the English haiku derivatives).

Secondly, he masters not just the haiku, but in addition tanka, senyru and haibun. And as if that is not provocative enough for a literary critic, he dares to go so far as to combine several literary styles in several of his books. Most dramatically in “Sweeps of Rain”, where he combines haibun in a way that reads as a complete novel.

And finally, Verbeke is so cheeky and daring that he takes his readers and himself to the absolute maximal limit: he writes his masterpieces in several languages, including Flemish, English, French, German etc.

Already, as you can well understand, I am livid as a literary critic .. With some extremely-talented authors I sometimes secretly wish that I had written this or that particular work of literature instead of him/her. However, in the case of this man Geert Verbeke I feel that he is so completely ‘superior’ – not only in regards to his understanding and craftsmanship, but also because he manages to access the inner reaches of philosophy, spirituality, humanity, social consciousness and frivolity .. all at once. AND he pumps these works out effortlessly; as if he is practicing zazen. Effortlessness is – of course – the mark of an ‘artistic master’ – the point where “simplicity” and “difficulty” become indistinguishable because the level of mastery makes the distance between point zero and the ‘unreachable dream’ as short as possible. And that is the essence of Geert Verbeke’s literary genius: not only to achieve the impossible but also to transform literary dexterity into a literary and visual masterpiece at its lowest common denominator.

Geert Verbeke is impressive .. and he is scary. He can take any topic (for example: frogs or playing cards .. nature .. or political/social issues) and ‘spin his magic’.

Okay. You have understood that the man is now highly-regarded by me. Let me illustrate just a few of the many fine examples of his craftsmanship and genius:


memorial day –
a lot of grasshoppers
on the stupa

between
gravel and duneland –
an oasis

along the river
a row of singing monks –
dew on their hats

(from “Brother Buddha”)


terraced rice fields –
the annual frog concert
and her hangover

in the evening
croaks are getting louder –
a downpour

(from “Frogs Croak”)


half-naked sadhus
at the ritual cremation
click-clack Kodak

sweet-and-sour
the taste of mango
on her lips

anti-terror
a flow of body bags
back to the USA

rising tide
the sky is the sea
outgoing tide

lasting for days
the singing of the rain
composing sad songs

(from “Rain”)


I am afraid that I must stop here ... most publishers have a maximum word limit, and I have already surpassed the standard commercial literary review limitations. But this is also relevant to my experience of the literature of Geert Verbeke: he knows the traditions, he knows the standards .. and he possesses the genius and the integrity to know when to use the traditional .. and when (and how) to surpass it. And I have a strong intuition that it is “art” which guides him, rather than “commercialism”.

GEERT VERBEKE: Born in Kortrijk, Flanders (Europe). Geert began writing haiku in 1968. The decisive factor to study haiku was the discovery of the Himalayan singing bowls and the travels to Kathmandu, the Sinaï-desert, Istanbul, Tunisia, Djerba, France, Tanzania, Zanzibar and the Grand Canyon in Arizona, USA. Geert has also written a few books about singing bowls. He has, in addition to have published several books on haiku, haibun, senyru and tanka and singing bowls, recorded 11 cd's with singing bowls, gongs and percussion.

ADAM DONALDSON POWELL (Norway) is a literary critic and a multilingual author, writing in English, Spanish, French and Norwegian; and a professional visual artist. He has published five books (including collections of poetry, short stories and literary criticism) in the USA, Norway and India, as well as several short and longer works in international literary publications on several continents. He has previously authored theatrical works performed onstage, and he has (to-date) read his poetry at venues in New York City, Oslo (Norway), Buenos Aires and Kathmandu (Nepal).

Copyright 2007, Adam Donaldson Powell.

(photo by Adam Donaldson Powell)