My thoughts
I can certainly relate to the concept of Insomniatic, as I have suffered with insomnia frequently in my life. It is what we experience, what we think about during these bouts of insomnia that this collection so aptly captures. Taking a cue from this line from the synopsis..."asking the reader to question what is a dream state and what does it mean to be awake," I think about that moment when you finally doze off and you have a dream that is so vivid, it jolts you awake and insomnia sets in once again.
This poem spoke to me the most from the collection because I felt it applies to the current state of things in our great country (and let's face it...it's one of the topics one thinks about during bouts of insomnia, and quite possibly a topic that gives one nightmares, at least in my case).
Insomnia
But lately, we are all afraid
to call upon one another
unless the meeting has been pre-arranged.
Must mean someone's personal
Dark Age is looming across
the countryside,
heading toward the cities,
dragging blood and bone.
What did Dali paint
when he couldn't sleep?
I must've been drunk or invisible
when I used to know facts,
like that.
Perhaps I've interpreted the meaning incorrectly, but this is what it means to me. Particularly, "someone's personal Dark Age is looming across the countryside."
I recommend this to anyone who likes poetry that makes you think. Thanks to the poet for stretching my brain muscle.
About the chapbook
Insomniatic is the newest poetry chapbook from Valerie Fox, author of The Roschach Factory and The Glass Book. These poems haunt and question, dream and wander, asking the reader to question what is a dream state and what does it mean to be awake.
"Insomniatic" (poems) asks the question: Who are we when we dream?
About the Poet
Valerie Fox’s books of poetry include The Rorschach Factory (2006, Straw Gate Books) and The Glass Book (2010, Texture Press). She co-wrote Poems for the Writing: Prompts for Poets with Lynn Levin. Bundles of Letters Including A, V and Epsilon (2011, Texture Press) is a collaborative book with Arlene Ang. "Scarecrow Lists of Failures and Grocery Items" (a collaboration with Ang) may be found here, at Thrush.
Her work has appeared in many journals, including Thrush, Painted Bride Quarterly, Hanging Loose, Apiary, West Branch, Sentence, and Qarrtsiluni. Originally from central Pennsylvania, she has traveled and lived throughout the world, and has taught writing and literature at numerous universities including Sophia University (in Tokyo) and currently at Drexel University (in Philadelphia).
Valerie Fox’s books of poetry include The Rorschach Factory (2006, Straw Gate Books) and The Glass Book (2010, Texture Press). She co-wrote Poems for the Writing: Prompts for Poets with Lynn Levin. Bundles of Letters Including A, V and Epsilon (2011, Texture Press) is a collaborative book with Arlene Ang. "Scarecrow Lists of Failures and Grocery Items" (a collaboration with Ang) may be found here, at Thrush.
Her work has appeared in many journals, including Thrush, Painted Bride Quarterly, Hanging Loose, Apiary, West Branch, Sentence, and Qarrtsiluni. Originally from central Pennsylvania, she has traveled and lived throughout the world, and has taught writing and literature at numerous universities including Sophia University (in Tokyo) and currently at Drexel University (in Philadelphia).
GoodReads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36558805-insomniatic
Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/2DP2rxs
Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/2DP2rxs
