Review by Elizabeth Chell of "Just This Side of Seaworthy and Other Poems" and "Rock, Paper, Scissors and Other Poems" by Cathi Rae

 

Cathi Rae’s collection of poems Just This Side of Seaworthy explores the complexities of ageing and mental illness and the forging of new identities in a world where expectations are unforgiving. 

Rae's style is accessible. Her words speak the truth all "women of certain age" must confront. Her poems are not maudlin. They are introspective and deliver a positive acceptance and are celebratory of the aging process. Her poems are layered; on the surface they are what they are, but the underlying emotion and evocative imagery make them extraordinarily good. 

These poems also explore death and other topics. "Single handed," a biography of her father and family dynamics, would not sit out of place on a shelf with Duffy and Heaney.

What I admire most about Cathi Rae’s poetry is her masterful structure and the subtlety with which she conveys emotion. In her poem "When Our Bodies Become as Linen," she eloquently juxtaposes the durability and fragility of linen with the ageing process. This comparison illustrates how, much like linen, we possess an inner strength that endures even as our exterior fades with time. Cathi’s poem "Wednesday night is women’s night – remembering the 1980s," with its thoughtful structure, captures the essence of a girls' night out dancing around handbags with friends, not caring which side of the bed we got out of. Rae's poetry is sometimes raw, sometimes harsh, yet remains consistently honest and exquisitely crafted.

Rae's collection Rock Paper Scissors, as Cathi explains in her introduction, had a starting point: "Tell me about your life." The poetry encapsulates the voices of individuals Cathi encountered during her PhD journey. Her poetry delves into the complexities of mental health and mental illness, addressing the numbing effects of medication. It made me laugh and cry. The beauty of her work is how she encapsulates the ordinariness of mental illness - how it can take anyone prisoner. This challenging yet vital subject, often shrouded in secrecy, is brought to light through Cathi’s work, which fosters open and candid exploration of mental health from a fresh perspective.

This collection of voices, vividly expressed through Cathi’s unique poetic style, will resonate with everyone. During the 2020 lockdown, many of us experienced anxiety, and the most vulnerable often lacked a voice. Cathi’s poetry effortlessly provides a platform for these feelings of inadequacy, addressing an ever-present issue. Mental health is a universal experience, affecting us all either directly or indirectly. We should celebrate it as an intrinsic part of being human. Cathi’s poetry makes it clear that mental health transcends age, gender, and race.

If you appreciate these latest collections of Cathi’s work, I would also highly recommend her earlier poetry collection Your Cleaner Hates You and Other Poems. 

About the reviewer
Elizabeth Chell is a full-time teacher with an MA in Creative Writing from the University of Leicester.

You can read more about Cathi Rae's Just This Side of Seaworthy and Other Poems, and Rock, Paper, Scissors and Other Poems, on Creative Writing at Leicester here. 

Review by Elizabeth Chell of "Sing Ho! Stout Cortez" by Michael W. Thomas

I have just finished reading Michael W. Thomas’s Collection of novellas and stories Sing Ho! High Cortez. It is a book I will want to read over and over. The central theme for this collection of stories is family life and friendships. The first novella, Esp: The Voice of Grenada, is the story of a group of boys. We journey with them as they grow from boys to men and learn the history of their country. The music they compose and play is more than the rhythm of their lives; it is their personal and Grenada’s battle for freedom. The writing is poetic and beautiful; the cultural refences to music and film resonate with one’s own journey from child to adulthood. It is witty and poignant. It is of no surprise that such a clever story, with its rich dialogue, should have been shortlisted for the UK Novella Award 2015. 

‘Tickle, Tickle,’ a harrowing survivor’s story, is exquisitely written. We are steered through the twisting path of youth and experience and the minutiae of family life. Again, the musical references resonate with one’s own adolescence. Music, like a smell, puts you in the time zone giving credence to the tale. 

‘Mister Sixth’ catalogues the of life Evan. It is reflective and insightful, examining the ghosts of the past. Using Evan’s boyhood bedroom and memories, the story unfolds, spilling the beans of sibling rivalry amidst sunny suburbia of twentieth-century family life. Finally, with the skilful use of metaphors, we learn the resolution and wisdom that comes with the rights of passage into adulthood. 

‘Never Any Sometimes’ picks apart a man’s position in a family of three adult daughters. It is an intimate story set in a restaurant. The tension ratchets up as the wine flows. 'Sing Ho! Stout Cortez' is the story of a group of colleagues preparing to party on the first ever ‘New Year’s Day’ holiday. The characters are expertly drawn, the lightest of brushstrokes painting a thousand words. We breathe with them, making the poignancy of the ending real. ‘The Maker's Mark’ explores Ian’s angst of being fourteen and at the bottom of the pecking order in the family. Ian is a people watcher and an expert in body language. It is a satisfying read; we empathise with him. 

Michael W. Thomas’s collection of stories would be a welcome addition to any bookcase; it will be well read and loved by all who read it.

About the reviewer
Elizabeth Chell is a full-time teacher and is currently studying for an MA in Creative Writing at the University of Leicester.

Review by Elizabeth Chell of "GREAT MASTER / small boy" by Liz Lefroy

 

Liz Lefroy’s pamphlet of poetry is innovative, beautifully composed and is as unique as Beethoven himself. Just like Beethoven’s 9th symphony, she combines two art forms, traditional and prose poetry. The artistry of her language, the vivid reflections journey us through the past and present life of Bonn and Vienna. Her themes lend themselves to the Romantic music of Beethoven, merging into the classical tones of her surroundings. 

We are mesmerised by the budding dancer in the poems, the toil and hard work as she finally flowers, and then her voyage into motherhood. The power of Lefroy's words places us beside her; lines such as ‘I  survive fleshy awkwardness’ resonate with our own adolescent selves. Of her pregnant self in the bath, the phrase ‘beached on the rounded island of myself’  is such a perfect description; for me this feeling has never been so adequately illustrated.

The strength of Lefroy's poetry lies in the marriage of the beauty of Beethoven's music, the beast of war, and the war within him, his deafness. Reading through her work you are reminded that, although Beethoven wrote beautiful music, there is often an undertone of sadness and despair. This is a story of life and development of beauty triumphing over despair; it is an extraordinary accomplishment and an absolute pleasure to read, again, and again.

About the reviewer
Elizabeth Chell is currently studying for an MA in Creative Writing at Leicester University. She is a full-time teacher and lives in Leicester. 

Review by Elizabeth Chell of "100neHundred" by Laura Besley

Turning the pages of Laura Besley’s 100neHundred flash fiction stories is as delightful as being inside a huge box of chocolates. Here, bite-size stories meet with you for any and  every occasion; they will delight every literary palate. You enter stories wrapped with intrigue, or revenge, others seductive, haunting, dark, and bitter. They seem like snippets of someone’s private life, as if you have overheard someone’s thoughts as they pass you by - thoughts that you shouldn’t be eavesdropping on, but glad that you did. 

As you absorb these expertly crafted morsels you will be given an emotional workout: you will be touched by the sadness of some, captivated by the confessional nature of others, or made to shudder at true wickedness. There are stories which will leave your heart  warmed by love's first splendour and others that  will give you sheer joy with a wash of nostalgia - all of them knitted together perfectly in a hundred words. There are so many original wonderful lines, such as: 'She can’t leave because he’d find her ...' 'Leftovers of his life ...' 'Accordion wrinkles around her eyes …' 'A storm in an hour glass ...' and so on.

Each of her stories have one thing in common: you will want to read them several times as they are layered with meaning not often apparent with the first bite. Besley is such a good wordsmith not one word is out of place or wasted and what is not said is just as important as what is. These stories are like little magic spells, far from the ordinary.

About the reviewer
Elizabeth Chell is a full-time teacher, and is currently studying for an MA in Creative Writing at Leicester University.