Gathered Here Today: An open casket of art and poetry
Edited by Kelley York and Kala Godin
Graveside Press, 2025
ISBN: 978-1-967547-97-5 (Ebook)
Ebook, 290 ppg.
It’s hard to find a collection of good horror poetry these days. It would seem, however, that the editors at Graveside Press have finally created a collection of both horror poetry and art that fans of horror will want to check out! Gathered Here Today: An open casket of art and poetry is a collection of poetry from some of today’s top poets who not only know how to craft an amazing poem but also create poetry that could make your skin crawl! These poems and works of art provided lots of good scares and chills as I read them and I would definitely want to keep a print copy of this book in my library for the amazing work it contains within!
There are a variety of poems in this book, about a variety of spooky subjects. From monsters and creatures that haunt our imagination to actual monsters in the guise of evil people, these poems capture the haunted, the monstrous and the macabre. Written in a variety of poetic styles, these poems tantalize the reader with spine-tingling and creepy revenants of the dark.
If there’s one kind of poem that I absolutely love the most, it’s the kind of poem that tells a story in verse. That’s what readers are treated to with the poem “I’m Sorry, My Dear” by Rich McFarlin. Not only is this poem delightfully creepy, but it is told so well. What an unexpected surprise at the end! I loved it!
I also loved the poem “A Cold, Windswept Place” by Kurt Newton. What a surprise the ending brought! The words pulled me in and I was so captivated by this tale.
The poem “The Crow” by Terry Campbell was awesome. Of course, that title made me think of the movie, but as I read the poem, I realized that it was a modern-day retelling of Poe’s famous raven poem, but with a crow! It made me laugh and shake my head in disbelief. The author of this poem did well in writing it and it was an enjoyable read.
I’m a fan of the poet Jeff Oliver, so I was delighted to see that he has a poem in this book, as well. “Apocalyptic Sun” captures the brooding of a dark and haunted soul with so much raw emotion and angst. I also loved the artwork that went with this poem! (I loved all of the artwork included in this book!)
Another poet I am familiar with is LindaAnn LoSchiavo, and I absolutely LOVED her poem, “My Dungeon Ghost.” The quote from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight drew me in, as I adore the Arthurian legends, and I loved how this poem is treasured by both of the people in the poem while they are both alive and it is one of the things that strengthens their friendship. Indeed, it ends up being one of the things that strengthens their connection with each other after one of them transitions to death. I also enjoyed reading her erasure poem “Slow Burn.” The graphic that accompanies it is a nice touch!
“The Talking Board” by C. Payne was another good poem. I don’t support using Ouija boards, but they can create some interesting stories and poems. And in this case, it adds to the scare factor of this particular poem. The messages the board users received were scary and the surprise at the end really creeped me out!
Other poems I enjoyed reading were “Evil Sirens Sweetly Singing” by Lillian Csernica and “I Am Haunted” by JJ Carpenter and “The Hunger of Horace Leach” by Lance McVay.
Horror fans looking for a good collection of creepy and terrifying poems should definitely grab a copy of Gathered Here Today. Filled with good scares, monstrous terrors and horrifying haunts, this collection of horror poetry is a satisfying and scintillating read for anyone who enjoys reading the kinds of poems that will send chills down your spine.
Five stars
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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