The poems in this well-produced, perfect-bound volume achieve a remarkable synthesis of visionary clarity and thoughtfulness that moves them far beyond what is usually described as "speculative" poetry. Using topics and themes from science and fantastic fiction, Joron creates a highly visual surrealism made coherent in each poem by a consistent point of view and/or developing process of consciousness. His language is clean, allusive, and contains nothing extraneous. Do not miss it:
Men banished from sleep
wander through the night-market
--rummage among
Marvelous toys: aphrodisiac
Cures; a thigh-bone
Strung & tuned
To the frequency of a quasar
Little dolls with removeable parts
Packets of hair, & coinages
Of skin
(from "Voiceprints")
--John M. Bennett
This review originally appeared in TapRoot Reviews #3,
Contact the editor, luigi-bob drake, at Burning Press
Copyright Burning Press 1993, 1995.