With words as tools, Mary-Jane Newton makes an able carpenter, building impressive poems, almost like cabinets to display her thoughts, images and concepts. Examples fill her slim debut book, Of Symbols Misused (2011, Proverse Hong Kong, 86 pages, HK$98).
The book-title comes from a description of people as the main users, and misusers, of symbols. Frankly, what could be more symbolic than words, especially those in poems?
As all poets should, Newton savors words and enjoys stringing them together into meaningful lines. At times, she's so deft that readers instantly recognize the relevant situations. Consider a poem about “Old Lovers”:
“We are old lovers now,
Like rancid butter we drip
All over the sheets.
We smile at the mutiny of our bodies
and we lie, holding hands.”
Of Symbols Misused contains more than 50 poems on diverse topics. The titles range from “Seven Lies Speaking” to “My Nylon Stocking”, from “Touching” to “Killing a Man” and from “Big Fish” to “Poor Beggar”. They run the gamut, varying in length from a few words to several pages.
Well-traveled, Newton entered the world in Goa, India, in 1983. She also has lived in Germany, England and now Hong Kong.
Each poem exudes honesty. Multi-tasking in a sense, the poet sometimes appears wistful, mournful and sensuous all at the same time. In a poem titled “Goodbye”:
“Now that you are gone
I can feel
the scent of your hair on my skin.
O I can feel
your breath moving the hair on my neck.”
In the way of great writers, Newton often uses a few essential words to draw readers in, to place them right there as events unfold. Maybe a health warning should precede the poem “Cardiac Arrest”. Reading it hastily could trigger chest pangs or worse.
“And suddenly:
the vital pain of fists on my chest,
pale gasps of party guests
like ripples deep under the surface
that is our usual life, the flight of birds.”
Then later in the same poem:
“Air
The urge for
Air.”
Stop! Seriously, halt there. As a safety precaution, take several deep breaths before reading more.
At other moments, the poet offers reassurance. No matter what troubles arise, why not find “Consolation in Windows”?
“one should look out of a window
and find consolation
in the strange fact
that everything else
is still intact.”
The big gripe about Of Symbols Misused has little to do with anything on its pages. At a recent book-launch party in Hong Kong, a group of readers gathered expecting to meet, congratulate and even hear a reading from Newton, but the poet failed to appear.
Her reason presented no mystery. Newton had completed two big projects, the publication of her book and the birth of a child. By a few days, the baby arrived first, and the poet suddenly felt the burden of new responsibility and duties. Probably rightly, the baby took priority, and Newton missed the launch event.
But as a reader, it's tough not to feel a little miffed. Playing a recording of the poet reading several of her poems, as happened, can't suffice. In poetry, timing, details and nuances mean so much. That applies to meeting admirers too.
Regardless, the bottom line shows a talented poet and a new book. That's a nice combination to please readers now and stir their hopes for more books later.
Approval rating: 79 per cent.
For more information: www.proversepublishing.com
(March 23, 2011)
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