The Configuration Discordant: An exploration of poetry through the lens of murder, madness, and monsters
John Baltisberger
A Things in the Well Publication, 2019
When it comes to books of horror poetry, readers don’t know what to expect. Would they be exposed to guts and gore? Terrifying monsters? Or dark days of doom? In the horror poetry collection, The Configuration Discordant: An exploration of poetry through the lens of murder, madness, and monsters by John Baltisberger, readers will get all of that, and more. This collection of poems gripped me from the very beginning and it sent chills down my spine as I continued to read.
With some of these poems, it helps to remember that this is a collection of horror poetry. Yes, that is what that poem really means. Yes, that narrator of a poem actually IS diabolical and evil. And, yes, that particular poem really is meant to be dark and scary. There is no softening of a message in these poems. There is no light horror and the author leaves no holds barred.
Take, for example, the poem “The Family.” You would think it is just a poem introducing the reader to a family, but, no. Something else is going on in this poem. Something nightmarish. And it is only getting to the end of the poem that the reader discovers what it is.
The poem “Glass Eyes” has a hidden meaning to it. The reader should think a minute about that title and in which case something would have glass eyes. The lines “Thrown out into the garbage/To the incinerator/But I will always come back” indicate that this is an evil thing that can’t be destroyed. An evil thing that kills.
“Household” is another creepy poem. It is obviously describing a rotting building that is falling apart (“olden hallways filled with dust”) but it is home to those who still linger within its rooms and hallways. But beware to anyone who dares to tread within it! For if you fall into the trap, you will not be able to escape so easily. As the lost souls in the poem state: “Greetings! You seem to be stranded/You are welcome in my household.”
I really enjoyed reading the poem “Rat King.” There are so many different kinds of poems written about the Rat King, and this is one of the good ones. It is dark and terrifying. It makes the Rat King into a much bigger monster than before. I liked the surprise at the end, as well.
There are quite a few poems in this book about Texas, and about the sinister forces hidden within it. I am not sure what the meaning is behind this, but it made for interesting reading. I have only visited Texas once, and perhaps there was some kind of monster in the sandstorm me and my family had to drive through when we were there.
“We Called Them Kaiju” is another good poem in this book. I like how, among the mix of monsters and mythological creatures in this book, the kaiju are included. These lines from this poem especially stood out:
“the cityscape was unimportant
we all ran when they came
their roars echoed discordant
washing us away in flame
our greatest works laid flat
destroyed so easily
destruction reigned in their path
all of us slaughtered equally” (Page 111)
Another poem I enjoyed reading is “((Them)).” Like some of the other poems in this book, it changes course from the usual horrific poems about monsters and deities and speaks out against fascism and oppression. These beginning lines of the poem resonated with me:
“I am ((Them))
forged in the fires of hateful places
I am ((them))
centuries of stereotypes held in stasis
what do ((I)) know about the way the world works?
what have you put in to learn who ((we)) are?
judging ((us)) with knowing disdainful smirks
your own prejudice elevating ((us)) to the stars.” (Page 116)
I also loved the artwork that is in this book. My favorite one was the art following the poem “Toymaker” that is on page 25 (and “Toymaker” on page 24 is quite a creepy poem!).
The Configuration Discordant is a haunting collection of poetry of monsters, creatures, and deities both known and unknown. The poems reflect the quest for the survival of humankind in the face of the many battles taking place, as well as poems of power and resistance. There are also horror poems that would terrify readers, as well as poems about the unknown. Altogether, it is a collection of dark poetry sure to be enjoyed by fans of horror poetry.
Five stars
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for research purposes and elected to also write a review of it. This review is entirely voluntary.
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