Letters To Guns by Brendan Constantine

This is the first of Brendan Constantine’s books of poetry. It is a stunning and wonderful blend of humorous and passionate poetry. Some of it seems to flow from a brilliant somewhat eccentric mind and others are surreal. In all of them Constantine has something to say, you will find it.

Brendan Constantine uses poetry with a fierce passion, and tackles difficult issues with imagery and metaphors that can leave you breathless. To read his poetry is to be intrigued, taken on journeys to places you never knew existed, bewitched. He is the master of language and words.

My only question is the use of ‘Leibshin’ in “Letter VI”. It is a literal translation from German, and somewhat lovely in it’s backward English grammar. ‘Leibshin’ is not a German word,  although I realise it is mean as ‘darling’. If it is Yiddish I cannot find it.

Read and feast. This is wonderful and I don’t understand why Constantine received unpleasant letters. It is a joy whatever one’s politics.

 

 

Review: Birthday Girl with Possum Brendan Constantine

Brendan Constantine’s talent seems wider than an ocean. He constantly amazes me. I seem to be reading his books in reverse order but, coming to him late, I just want to devour his writing – it delights and moves my soul.

I detect loss in this book quite strongly. We all write from that which we empathise with or feel strongly about, or those feelings that hang around for a while after an event or experience. The metaphors and imagery are unfailingly witty and graphic, sad and vivid. Such a quick mind, such fluid writing. A brilliant mind, sparking in poems fired by electricity.

Chrissie Morris Brady