Twenty First Century Blues by Richard Cecil is another poetry collection that I find difficult to review. Cecil writes with wry humor about the every day--from anger over non-promotion within the university to feeding his kitten at home to travels abroad. And he also covers historic Europe and ancient catastrophes. There are down-home, solid descriptions and quirky, radical takes on almost everything. I particularly enjoyed his poems that take aim at the academic life. But then, I work in the same department as he does, so I get all the references--"The Writing Requirement" and "A Letter to William Butler Yeats" are particular favorites. Four stars.
Poetry Snippets:
I paused to peer up at the stained glass windows
shooting blue and ruby beams like lasers
through the gloom.
~from "Albi Cathedral" (p. 7)
But how I envy Daudet's spendthrift hero,
pursued and hounded for his precious talent.
~from "Fool's Gold" (p. 18)
You can't revisit a place where you were happy,
as you can't re-love someone you've loved and left
~from "Package Tour" (p. 34)
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