| Author | Topic Options |
|---|---|
Dr Caleb
Vive Moderator    Posts: 5450  Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2004 1:35 pm <strong>Written By:</strong> Dr Caleb
<strong>Date:</strong> 2004-09-13 13:35:00 <a href="/article/131658893-think-freedom">Article Link</a> Think Freedom is Robin Mathews 11th book of poetry, and, true to form, he hugs and stays close to most of the major political themes of the time. Mathews is probably the best living Canadian political poet, and Think Freedom proves, yet once again, why this is the irrefutable case. Think Freedom is a fit companion piece to Mathews’s previous book of poetry, Being Canadian in Dirty Imperialist Times (2000), but Think Freedom was written in the post-9-11 world, and, as such, many of the issues that emerged since then are on front stage in this poetic missive and tract for the times. Think Freedom is divided into four inviting and challenging sections: 1) In a Glass, Darkly, 2) Seeing and Being, 3) Blind Faith, The New World Order and 4) Think Freedom. Each section, surgically so, cuts through much fat and silliness and attempts, after such a poetic operation, to offer healing and hope in an ever darkening time. Each poem demands of the reader a serious and substantive rethinking of how we often see and interpret the world and how we could do so in a different way. Mathews takes arrow from quiver and hits many a bull’s eye. Both the Canadian and the American setting is faced and not flinched from. Poetry as moral and prophetic vision is held high rather than poetry as a padding about in the ambiguous maze of the inner life or poetry as a thin affirmation of the status quo. Most of the poems in Think Freedom are explicitly political, but there are some touching love poems that draw the reader back for many a reread. It is these poems that make for a fine balance to the more demanding political poems. There are also a few fine probes into some important religious themes and motifs. It is these poems that deal with love and religion that pull the curtains back for a fuller view and vision of things. We have few good political poets in Canada, and Think Freedom ably demonstrates why Mathews is our best at the present time, and why, heeding Acorn’s lead, binoculars would be needed by Mathews to see those close to him. Ron Dart teaches in the political Science/philosophy/religious studies department at the University College of the Fraser Valley (Abbotsford, BC). He is also the author of, Robin Mathews: Crown Prince of Canadian Political Poets (2002). Take the Kama Sutra. How many people died from the Kama Sutra as opposed to the Bible? - Frank Zappa | |
 
|
Page 1 of 1 |
[ 3 posts ] |
Who is online |
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests |