Wren Verlaine

There are some great and clever lines here, but I'm afraid the fact is that this appears to have been self-published for a reason. Most of the poems are very simple, and angsty in a way that suggests they're more emotion and sound than meaning or depth. Abstract feelings are constant, and concrete images are pretty rare. They remind me of the poems I wrote when I first started writing poetry, before I'd read a lot of contemporary poetry or worked with any other writers to improve my craft, and while this sounds pretty harsh, it's a simple fact that most readers who love poetry aren't going to find much here to enjoy or remember. At their best, there are short sections that remind me of Nine Inch Nails and that sort of language, and maybe some of the images and poems here would be better if played with and set to music, short as they are.

As is, though, I'm afraid I can't recommend them, much as I adore reading poetry and passing it on.… (meer)

I received a print copy of this book from the author through the giveaway she recently had on LibraryThing and the following is my honest opinion.

In this outing, the authors, Casey Renee Kiser, has once again shown her readers what happens when you mix strong forces in the genre of underground poetry; forces which are daring and those that are mysterious. The resulting effect is that this book contains an undeniable deluge of sentiments which are unpleasantly truthful. Helping Casey out in this endeavor is Wren Verlaine, who has done a wonderful job in trying to match Casey’s unique style.

This uniquely original compilation of hard-nosed poetry might linger around in mind well after reading like it has for me; a haunting reminder which has enticed me to give it 5 STARS.… (meer)