BOOK REVIEWS: WHAT I TOLD FRANK AND LOVE IS JUST HATE ON FIRE

WHAT I TOLD FRANK

BY MEGAN McCORQUODALE

This is the debut poetry collection by Scottish punk poet, Megan McQorquodale, published by Clochoderick Press earlier this year. Mainly focusing on themes of heartbreak, anxiety and alcohol, this is a gut wrenchingly honest collection of poems. Megan bleeds onto the page with a rawness and openness that is completely refreshing and unbelievably brave. I don't know Megan, I have ever met her IRL, but I after reading What I Told Frank I felt that I had known her for years. Sometimes you read a book of poetry and you feel that the poet is bullshitting, or holding back, or disguising their true intentions beneath impenetrable layers of pretentiousness. There is none of that here. This poetry is real, live and in colour. Do yourself a favour and buy a copy right here.

HATE IS JUST LOVE ON FIRE

BY ARTHUR J. WILLHELM

Hate Is Just Love on Fire by New Jersey based writer and poet, Arthur J. Willhelm, is an amalgamation of several of the self published poetry chapbooks he had previously released via Iron Lung Press. It makes a for a strong collection. Arthur is very much from the school of the Beats and Bukowski - snappy, stinging poems. To the point. No fucking around. No excess baggage. Say what you mean, and mean what you say. These poems perfectly capture the absurdity of modern life, each word perfectly distilled down like a fine Russian vodka. I read this whole collection in one sitting and immediately felt the need to re-read it. To really soak it in. Best enjoyed on a sunny afternoon, with a cold beer in hand. Buy one right now from Iron Lung Press.