Horror So Real: Melancholia is a collection of dark poetry reflecting on real-life horrors

 

Melancholia: A Book of Dark Poetry

Sumiko Saulson

Bludgeoned Girls Press, 2024

Ebook, 95 ppg.

ISBN: 979-8990327719

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Collections of dark poetry can be about anything. They can be poems that are truly dark and disturbing, or they could be poems of dark things found in the real world. For Melancholia: A Book of Dark Poetry by Sumiko Saulson, it is both. Here readers will find dark poems of fictional creatures as well as dark poems about truly horrific events and goings-on that are in the real world, both past and present.

 

Not all of the poems in this book are dark, however. “The Doormouse Is Dreaming” is a cute poem. With descriptions of “Blankets and pillows/All covered with down” and “shallow waters puddle-wide.” I can almost picture the Doormouse dreaming while asleep, comfortably reclined on “handknit doilies.”

 

“The Child on the Lawn” was a sad poem to read. It reminded me of Tamir Rice, the 12-year-old shot and killed by police when he was playing with a fake gun at a park. This poem is so profound, with lines like “Were there tears in his eyes/When he held his head down?” and “Now he's walking the streets/Though the guilty may hide/Their sanity is unwound/By the sound of his/Telltale Heartbeat.”

 

I loved how the poems “Replika, My Ex” and “Faceborg” explore our addiction with the internet/smartphones. Some of that addiction can be pretty terrifying, and there are no holds barred in these poems. These poems also touch on things many people fixated with this connection to artificial technology would understand.

 

I also liked the poems “The Queen of Death, Perplexed” and “The Melancholic Eye” and “Coachella Ghost.”

 

Many of the poems in this book are about real-life horrors as well as fictional horrors. Some of them are personal, while others are imaginative and dark. All of them are good poems and I enjoyed reading them.

 

Melancholia: A Book of Dark Poetry is an entertaining, thought-provoking collection of poetry that will leave readers with a sense of trepidation. Some of these poems will make readers think, while others offer reminders of how we cannot allow the injustices taking place in our society to continue. These poems are both haunting and depressing, leaving the reader with a lingering sense that perhaps it is time to do more to create change.

 

 

 

Five stars

 

 

 

 

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Horrors Both Real and Imagined: The Rat King is a collection of dark poetry that sheds light on what society would rather ignore

 

 

The Rat King

Dark Poetry by Sumiko Saulson

DookyZines, 2022

ISBN-13: 979-8835153923

Ebook, 90 ppg.

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One thing a poet must do is bring to life what other people fail to see. And only a poet can put into the right words the civil injustices as well as the wrongs enacted against the marginalized communities. With The Rat King by Sumiko Saulson, readers will see just how well this can be done. Here is a collection of poetry from the perspective of one such person in one such marginalized community who is not afraid to speak up and bring to light the many kinds of negative actions inflicted upon them. Not only this, but this particular poet takes a stand against those who feel no qualms about being bigoted assholes, as well as speaking out against those who try to downplay their very identities.

 

There are the unreal horrors written about in this book, but also the real horrors. Real horrors of what BIPOC queer people endure under the current regime. One poem that shares this horror is “Mantra of the Oppressor.” It is strong and profound, echoing exactly what many BIPOC people, as well as those who are BIPOC queer, are currently going through. They are being told to be silent. To be quiet. Not to speak out against oppression. I liked the hashtag statement repeated in this poem, as though it is the speaker’s mantra in an attempt to try to stay calm and not lose their shit over what is happening and how it affects them.

 

The title poem “The Rat King” is not really so much about the actual Rat King of lore but a metaphorical Rat King that preys on the homeless/unhoused. I support helping the unhoused, so this poem made me angry over the prejudices and hatred spewed against those who are forced to live on the streets.

 

Another good poem in this book is “The Latency of Racism in Sunny California” which is on page 68. This poem stands out because it’s the reason why so many people are cutting off others who are acting racist. I know someone who ended a friendship with a person because he got fed up over this person’s constant use of the “n” word when referring to someone who is Black. We may have tolerated racism in the past but we cannot tolerate it anymore. And for a person who is Black and has to hear racist language that other people spew, it’s damging. As it says in the poem:

 

“Ignoring bigoted things you do

Is bad for my mental health

I am sorry you are so defensive

I didn't want to war

But your racist microaggressions

Are too consistent to ignore”

 

Plus, it says a lot about the people who DO tolerate racist language and behavior from others. You know, We CAN stand up against racism. We can end a conversation or leave a room or change the channel. Doing these things does not mean we are “sensitive” or a “snowflake.” It means that we won’t tolerate racism! Though the aggressor may not see it this way and just see our refusal to tolerate it as a sign of weakness, as the poem says here:

 

“If people don't go along with

Your racist bullshit

You tell us we have a thin skin

We have to suffocate on

All of your garbage

In an attempt to fit in”

 

But standing up against racism proves that we don’t agree that that sort of behavior or language is okay. It’s NOT okay. And we should not have to suffocate on it, either.

 

I really enjoyed reading all of the poems in this collection. They are strong, defiant, outspoken and powerful. There are many poems that bring to light topics and issues some people may not realize and that’s one of the remarkable qualities of these poems. They don’t just set right what was set wrong but they give a voice to what many people fail to see or understand. The poems in The Rat King say the things that others are not brave enough to say, making these poems a collection that will linger and make people think.

 

 

 

Five stars

 

 

 

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

 

Your Worst Nightmare: More Regrets Than Glories is a collection of terrifying horror poetry

 

 

More Regrets Than Glories: A Collection of Dark Poetry

Rick Powell

Independently Published, 2015

ISBN: 978-1-329-51719-6

Ebook, 79 ppg.

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Most collections of horror poetry tend to offer the same tried and true scare tactics to create a terrifying reading experience, but that’s not what will happen for readers of the horror poetry book More Regrets Than Glories: A Collection of Dark Poetry by Rick Powell. Here we are served a collection of unique and terrifying tales of ghosts, monsters, killers, and characters who are hellbent on revenge. These poems are filled with dark atmospheres, creepy moods, and chilling narratives. It is certainly a good collection of horror poetry to read either during spooky season or just to enjoy some well-written horror poetry.

 

Also unlike most collections of horror poetry, the scare effects are not overdone. There is no “gore for gore sake” and it is just the right amount of horror without pandering to a stereotype. Additionally, the dark tone in many of the poems pulled me in and kept me reading until the very end, often with one last shot of a horrifying realization or a surprising twist at the end.

 

There are a variety of dark poems in this book. From poems about ghosts, a siren, and a woman murdering her husband on their wedding night, these poems offer chills and thrills for readers.

 

The poem “Stair” takes place on a decrepit staircase, but that is not the only thing the person in the poem needs to work about. For something haunts that staircase. Something that incites fear and leaves the poor soul in terror.

 

Something that is otherworldly and no longer living.

 

“I climbed to the first landing, the steps felt like bloated flesh, 

The rails were cold and clammy, like a cadaver’s lonely kiss, 

I turned and considered ascending, the cold enveloping my form. 

When I saw a ghostly figure, like a flickering candle in the mist. 

 

Her countenance was malignant, there was evil in her eyes, 

A pallor of the palest white, her white hair a floating haze,

My eyes were open wide, I could not breathe to let out a scream, 

My whole body turned to stone, I could not break her demonic gaze.”

 

This poem reminded me of how there are many haunted staircases in houses with ghostly sightings. In this particular case, although fictional, such a haunting is captured well.

 

The poem “Nadia” was terrifying! At first, I thought that Nadia was a ghost haunting some location, but she is more than that. She is a vengeful spirit, one which wives suspicious of their husbands can solicit a service from. This poem is written so well and it’s almost like a warning to unfaithful husbands of a REAL ghost to be aware of.

 

“The Muse” is another good poem, and one this writer could relate to. A writer’s muse has a way of giving us ideas when we are preoccupied with other things, then it is MIA when we need it. 

 

“When I want you, you are never there, 

Being evasive for what seems like ages, 

I try to figure out a way to call you forth, 

I search unnamed books, I scan yellowed pages. 

 

I sometimes walked through a desolate forest, 

Hoping, vainly, to hear a hint of your tread, 

Knowing your footfall would not touch dead leaves, 

Praying your voice will echo in my lonely head.”

 

I also enjoyed reading the poem “Notches” because it has an ending that I didn’t expect. I love how the supposed “victim” refuses to accept their fate. The kind of action taken was most fitting.

 

“The Midnight Hour” was another creepy poem. It sent chills down my spine! Powell really excelled at creating a dark, spooky mood in this particular poem. Reading about the dark creatures that lurk at the midnight hour made me want to stay inside during such a time! 

 

I loved the way the poem “The Coachman” ended. Some people may not like open endings in poems, but I enjoy how it leaves the ending up to the reader. It is not really an end in itself, but more of a prelude to what lies ahead. The poem gives enough clues for the reader to understand what is happening and who the coachman really is. Once again, the setting and mood in this poem are excellent. 

 

“She Reads Poems to Stones” is another poem with a surprising ending. But unlike “Notches,” this particular ending is not so dark or sinister. Yes, it is chilling, but also, not so unexpected, given that it is set in a cemetery. In a way, it makes sense, though the realization is a sad one. 

 

There are so many other great poems in this book: “I Walk Alone in the Dark” and “Placebo” and “Shall We Dance” and “Lathe” and “I Hold Her Hand” and “Cairn” and “Party” are just some of the really good ones that stayed with me. The poems are dark, creepy, and sinister. They will leave many haunting impressions on the reader long after they finish reading this book. 

More Regrets Than Glories is a collection of dark and terrifying poetry that will haunt and frighten readers. Filled with horrors of the supernatural and sinister, these poems offer a chilling atmosphere sure to be enjoyed by fans of horror poetry. Read at your own risk, if you dare!

 

 

Five stars

 

 

Disclaimer: I purchased this ebook and this review is entirely voluntary.