Groping Toward the Light: Poems for Midnight and After, by Darrell Schweitzer
Brand : Wildside Press
- SKU:
- 158715109X
- UPC:
- 158715109X
"YOU REALLY NEED TO BUY THIS BOOK."
— Star*Line, the magazine of the Science Fiction Poetry Association.
Darrell Schweitzer sometimes fears that as a poet he will be most remembered for rhyming "Cthulhu" in a limerick, but, if so, that is a shame, because as a serious poet he shows considerable range and merit. He demonstrates that poetry need not be incomprehensible to have depth. His subjects range from the eerie and ghostly to intriguing, poetic responses to history, like snapshots out of time. His influences are equally broad. He cites William Butler Yeats, Clark Ashton Smith, and C.P. Cavafy as particular favorites. His verse has been nominated for the Rhysling Award and included in THEYEAR'S BEST FANTASY AND HORROR.
"Darrell Schweitzer's craft, wit, and intelligence shine through this remarkable collection of verse that ranges from traditional horror and dark fantasy to historical poems dealing with Kaspar Hauser, Prester John, and the decline and fall of the Roman Empire. Schweitzer's extended annotations are often as fascinating as the poems themselves. GROPING TOWARD THE LIGHT is an entertaining and informative read."
— Bruce Boston, Grand Master, Science Fiction Poetry Association.
"This collection of verse is as immensely readable and eclectic as the prose and persona of Darrell Schweitzer himself.These are poems with considerable diversity of effect, range of emotion, and aesthetic intent: from old-fashioned eldritch verse associated with WEIRD TALES (often leavened with idiosyncratic irony) through poignantly laconic heart's laments, while at the other end of the spectrum are eerie new folk ballads that might sound authentic if sung, and a sardonically didactic series of portraits of Roman and Byzantine emperors. GROPING TOWARD THE LIGHT is a welcome addition to that excellent cottage industry of affective language produced by the pen of Darrell Schweitzer."
— Marvin Kaye, anthologist, author of THE INCREDIBLE UMBRELLA, FANTASTIQUE, etc.
"A refreshing exception to the flagrant excesses of modern poetry."
— Donald Sidney-Fryer, author of SONGS AND SONNETS ATLANTEAN.
"Capably mixing supernatural, historical, and autobiographical themes, Schweitzer moves among grim shadows with an eye always slanted toward celestial arenas. My favorite poem is the touching "Heretical Gospel," which imagines Lazarus's inner life, post-miracle. If you enjoy Schweitzer's Dunsanian and Lovecraftian stories, you'll surely want this pendant to themas well."
— Paul Di Filippo in Asimov's SF.
"I highly recommend this collection."
— Frida Westford in Fosfax.
"Schweitzer has the knack of breathing life into history with just a few words. He does in poetry what Gene Wolfe or Robert Graves have done with prose: make the reader feel what the historical characters felt, or at least make one feel as if one is feeling what the historical characters felt, which is as close as we can ever get to truly experiencing the historicalpast. . . .The illustrations are enchanting, the end notes are illuminating and entertaining, but most of this book is poetry; the kind in which no word is out of place. It is well-designed, sturdy, and handsome. This book I will not give away next time I move."
— David C. Kopaska-Merkel in Star*Line.