a mangled mess of painful rants, of longing, lusting, punching, drinking, loving, living, and dying.
This is my first poetry book. I was hesitant to share it with anyone until someone encouraged me to try for publication of my work. I did, and was surprised when they accepted my manuscript. It is a painful write in some of the words i've put in there, some of them were so sharp i was asked to omit them from the book.
Excerpt
at 6:53am the world is a lonely place...
Cold like a stone. The barrel was rammed into his mouth and its cold steel rested on his ever quivering tongue. He cocked the hammer back and contemplated pulling that trigger, a quick snappy answer to so many problems. Relief, or rest. what was it he was seeking?
A heart away from bliss, it was out of reach. Untouchable and he ached to embrace it. It wasn’t death he wanted, really. It was to be able to rewind his life like a movie in the old VCR. He would heed warnings and react to red flags, instead of blindly listening to torrid lies and leaving his heart open for pain again. This dreadful thought hammered away at him, leaving a trail of tears running down the sides of his face. children. his own children. how would they react. another statistic. they would be angry and disappointed. sad, yes, but angered at their father’s cowardice. he uncocked the hammer and pulled out the barrel of the gun. His shoulders heaved as his sobbing increased and he knelt at the side of his bed. life was black, sometimes, and it bit you and watched you suffer. things unseen steer your decisions for future agony. he put the gun in his top sock drawer, and went out into the kitchen and made his kids breakfast.
Professional Reviews
Here's what happens when you fall in love with a book
Poetry is raw emotion told to us through words, spoken through images painted by the pen of only the most beautiful of souls.
Poetry is magical, and good poetry can never be forgotten-it stands the test of time.
Here we have true poet's (proet?) words, revealing the depths of his very soul, some memories captured in bliss, and others, harboring a cynical perception of life. And yet, the author opens up his soul for all to see, maybe even to learn from.
I love this collection of poems because I feel that the author is presenting his whole self to us, his readers. He shows us that it is ok to feel, to have emotions that may not always appease the masses. He shows us that it is ok to get angry with life, and yet, love it all the same.
I have to honestly say, that this poetry collection hits me hard and sits up there with some of my favorite novels (and books of poetry.) It has proven itself worthy, and reads a little like prose and poetry combined. Perhaps this is why I cherish Mr. Bodeker's book...It seems to me, that he has done something unique here. He presents his truths in a lyrical fashion; yet, one almost feels that his poems read like a story...his story.
Buy this book.
There is something truly magnificent going on within these pages. I can't wait for his next book...and his next...
Eagerly awaiting, Mr. Bodeker....
:-)
local poet used writing to vent, heal
When Brad Bodeker was about 14 years old, he began writing poetry, mostly as a way to express his feelings.
"It was basically mostly just a bunch of cathartic ramblings," he said.
That self-prescribed therapy is what helped the Fairmont man through the early '90s, a low point in his life. He was dealing with anger and low self-esteem, and much of his poetry reflects that.
Bodeker had no plans to publish his poems until he shared them with someone and that person told him about PublishAmerica. According to the company's Web site (www.publishamerica.com), it accepts more new and unpublished authors than any other traditional book publisher in the nation.
Bodeker sent a few of his poems to the company, and soon it asked for more. After reading more than 25 of his poems, PublishAmerica asked Bodeker if he would have enough for an entire book.
"It kind of shocked me," he said.
At first Bodeker thought the company was a vanity press that charges authors a fee for publishing their books. The company, however, offered him a real contract with real royalties - albeit lower than what an author might get from mainstream publishers.
Bodeker recently received his copy of the book, "Reflect Shuns in a Broken Mirror." Playing with words is something Bodeker likes to do, something readers will see in many of his poems.
The title of his book comes from a dark, biting poem he taped to a mirror, kind of like a morning anti-affirmation. He became so tired of looking at the mirror - and the poem taped to it - that he broke the mirror. When he was collecting poems for the book, he came across it again.
Many of the poems in the book have that same biting quality, Bodeker said, because of situations in his life like physical abuse and bad relationships.
"I always concentrated on all the bad stuff," which is evident in his writing.
"It's kind of my way of venting; venting my anger, venting my hurt feelings, you know, a lot of the stuff people don't talk about," he said. "I wrote it down instead of talking about it."
Bodeker has dealt with the anger thanks to the passage of time and the positive influence of his wife and two daughters, ages 8 and 12.
"They can just really snap my mood out of it like that," he said, snapping his fingers. "They're kind of my light at the end of the tunnel."
The anger may have lessened, but the poetry hasn't stopped. Bodeker already has another book of poems prepared, although it's not titled yet.
"It's not as angry as this one is."
He's also working on a book about his mother's life titled "A Woman's Lot." He offered a little about her beginning, stating that his grandfather beat his grandmother when she caught him cheating, and she gave birth on the floor and died.
Bodeker's mother survived to experience adventures around the world, but not without her own difficulties.
Despite his first book and the others he's working on, Bodeker said it still hasn't quite sunk in yet that he's a published author.
Reality will probably hit when his first royalty check comes, he said.
"Reflect Shuns in a Broken Mirror" is available at Barnes and Noble, www.amazon.com and at www.publishamerica.com.
Bodeker plans to do some book signings and readings, although nothing has been set yet.
the ghost of jim morrison?
Pros:Jim morrison, Poetry moody
Best Uses:Great Read
Bottom Line:Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
The ghost of Jim Morrison? This work encites you to open your mind and look at things you maybe don't want to look at, but should.
Under Amber Skies, written by author and poet Jill Eisnaugle, is a wonderful collection of rhyming poetry guaranteed to please every reader. In this, her second book, she writes of new friendships kindled, as well as old friendships solidified. She g
