The Gun That Starts the Race
A collection of poems exploring life, death, and our fleeting existence.
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Goose Lane Editions
Published:17th Mar '15
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
This collection of poems blends humor and poignancy, exploring life's fleeting moments through vivid imagery and unexpected metaphors. It captures the essence of existence, highlighting our temporary role in a vibrant world.
In The Gun That Starts the Race, Peter Norman crafts a collection of poems that evoke a sense of the uncanny within the ordinary. Drawing comparisons to the surreal storytelling found in David Lynch films and the humor of The Simpsons, Norman's work captures the fleeting nature of existence, prompting readers to both laugh and reflect on the deeper aspects of life. The poems serve as archaeological explorations of human experience, delving into the remnants of personal dramas and the spaces where life and death intertwine.
The collection showcases a rich variety of poetic forms, from free verse to intricate sonnets, seamlessly blending structure with thematic depth. Norman's writing is approachable yet profound, avoiding any sense of pretension while inviting readers to engage with surprising metaphors and vivid imagery. His restless intellect drives the exploration of life's complexities, revealing that there is no definitive answer or false bottom to uncover. In this world, unexpected characters and scenarios emerge, such as Bolsheviks playing tennis under Marxist rules and oblivious creatures like crows and spiders going about their lives amid human struggles.
Ultimately, The Gun That Starts the Race presents a vibrant and enduring world, reminding us of our transient role within it. Through his insightful and evocative poetry, Norman encourages readers to reflect on their place in the ever-evolving tapestry of life, acknowledging both the beauty and the ephemeral nature of our existence.
"Peter Norman's The Gun That Starts the Race is sensually evocative and rich in imagery. Many of the poems bounce, like a stone skipping across the water's surface." * Scene *
"The Gun That Starts the Race takes aim and never misses. No word is wasted or feels out of place. Norman hits the bull's-eye with every killer lyric. These poems are sardonic, mordant, and ironic in a suck-it-up sense. But the subjects that Norman worries come wrapped in wit. Like Sylvia Plath, he sees existence as a caustic comedy, the beautiful flesh bathed in acid. So, 'an itch indicates healing, you think. / The kisses of an unseen porcupine / or acupunctured rat,' Beware. For Norman, 'Paradise' is a virtual anagram of 'despair.'" -- George Elliott Clarke
"The Gun that Starts the Race is a bang on (pun intended) title for this impressive new collection from a poet of imminence and aftermath. As vigorous in execution as they are detached in tone, Peter Norman's poems are finely formed odes to defining absences. He's a singular writer whose poems linger, riddling." -- Stephanie Bolster
ISBN: 9780864928665
Dimensions: 216mm x 140mm x 6mm
Weight: 110g
64 pages
First