Welcome back to The Book Bag. I hope you’ve had a poetic week.
Well, this week started well with Sunday Evening’s Black Bough Open Mic and it’s carried through a sense of contentment and ease throughout. I’ve enjoyed some sunny weather, attended Louise Machen’s online launch which was excellent. I celebrated a year since Neath Poetry Party, which also means a year since escaping my previous job and employer. I also had some time to work on writing. Also, started a very special top secret collaboration project.
On top of that, I’ve been reading;
Modern Poetry
- Poet: Diane Seuss
- Press: Graywolf Press in USA, Fitzcarraldo Editions in UK
I had not read a Diane Seuss collection previously to reading Modern Poetry, so I had no preconceptions (or real knowledge of her status) and picked this up in the bookshop on the aesthetic of the cover. The caveat to this is, I had read some of her pieces in anthologies.
In the book, Music plays a key role. Not just in the lyrical quality of the writing but also in terms of points of reference. Many of the poems have a musical connection as a title. From ‘Ballad’ to ‘Pop Music’ to ‘Rhapsody’ and more, are all lyrical in their language.
One thing Seuss does not lack is humour. Poems including ‘Untitled’ and ‘Ballad From The Soundhole of An Unstrung Guitar’, I found to be very unflinchingly sharp. ‘Little Fugue with Jean Seberg and Tupperware’ had me chuckling away so fully that it drew a few funny looks from passers-by.
Introspection is a consistent theme in the collection. None of which is handled in a cliched style but with honesty and humour. Pieces including ‘Penetralium’, ‘Little Refrain’ and ‘Threnody’ are just some of the terrific examples of this. Aside from introspection, Seuss is not afraid of sharp extrospection; for poems showcasing this skill, read the poems ‘Simile’ and ‘Ballad That Ends with Bitch’.
Another integral part of Diane Seuss’s writing is her compassion. ‘An Aria’ shows this expertly as does the tremendous ‘Monody’.
Diane Seuss won the Pulitzer for Poetry marking her as a lauded and revered poet despite coming from a working-class background and beginning her poetry journey through self-education and learning. This takes centre stage in the poem ‘My Education’ and the title poem of the book ‘Modern Poetry’ (one of my favourites). Another of my favourite pieces, ‘Poetry’ examines what the nature of poetry is to the reader and writer. Hopefully my poetry is poetry. I think it is and that’s what counts. Right?
This collection really spoke to me on several levels. I know people have compared Diane Seuss to Bukowski (whose work I enjoy for its gritty, grimy starkness) yet with more humanity, however I think this does both a disservice as both are exceptional without comparison and distinctive. In the collection there is raw honesty and understanding. The discussions on building and establishing yourself as a poet coming from a humble background with minimal knowledge or access, questioning what actually poetry is and why we write is real and relatable. The collection also gave me some good references of people to read (and some to avoid). I now need to track down more of Diane Seuss’s work – if anyone is selling any of her previous collections or wants to send me one let me know! Or if you want to recommend another Seuss collection, I’d be grateful.
Buy this book if you like unflinching honesty, humour, enjoy lyrical poetry and sharp observations on poetry and poets as well as humanity. Tremendous.
Favourite Poem:
I could list about 15-20 in this collection however I’ll stick to five. ‘Poetry’, ‘Modern Poetry’ ‘Allegory’, ‘Weeds’ and ‘Bluish’ are the ones in my mind right now.
To buy Modern Poetry click here.
To read more on Dianne Seuss, click here.
Here’s an accompanying eclectic playlist which but nobody asked for but probably secretly hoped for:
The Who – My Generation
The Eagles – Hotel California
Kate Bush – Wuthering Heights
Elton John – I’m Still Standing
Eminem – Lose Yourself
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Where The Wild Roses Grow
PJ Harvey – Angelene
Alanis Morrisette – Ironic
Fleetwood Mac – Go Your Own Way
Dave Brubeck – Take 5
Simon & Garfunkel – The Sound Of Silence
Skunk Anansie – Weak
Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody
Janis Joplin – Me and Bobby McGee
One More Thing…
Beautiful Little Fools is available to purchase. I received my copy this week and the quality of the writing and the produced book is top class. Also, at one point in the week it was up to number 6 in the Anthology bestseller chart on Amazon. Buy it here. If you’d like to come along to the online launch and open mic, details are here.
And Another…
If you haven’t listened to A Thousand Shades of Green special for The Whiskey Tree: Untamed Love, Wave 2 you are missing out. Find it here.
And Another…
Karen Pierce Gonzalez is hosting Alan Parry reading poems from Oh Man!, work on masculinity, on 15th July 2025 at 3-4pm PST (11pm UK time). I’ll be reading too. If you’d like to be in the audience, contact northbaypoetics.net or DM Karen on BlueSky for the zoom link.
And Finally…
Victoria Spires, writer of Soi-Meme, is part of a Salo Press showcase taking place on Zoom on 25th July from 7pm. Hosted by the great Vanessa Napolitano, other readers include Karan Chambers and Wendy Allen. Seek out Victoria on social media to get a link to the event.
Next Week’s Read
- Title: Cupid Grown
- Poet: Adam Panichi
Take it easy and stay poetic, I’ll catch you next week.
Paul
Paul Writes Poems 