The Kingdom of Hell is Inside You
James Machell
Space Cowboy Publications, 2026
ISBN: 978-1-968958-08-4
Ebook, 21 ppg.
They say that we often create our own hell within our minds. But what happens if Hell is already within us without having to create it ourselves?
That’s the message I got from the micro-chapbook of poetry The Kingdom of Hell is Inside You by James Machell. This bizarre collection of hellish poetry, where there are only 10 poems to read, was a wild ride.
But you won’t start reading these poems as the same person. Machell sets it all up at the very beginning, on page 1:
“Landlord put strangers in the shower,
shoes on the stairs, knives in the sink –
need privacy? Just dilute code with neurons
and expand within a vacuum. It’s cheaper
renting headspace. The cerebral cortex
is your living room and the service provider
installs windows. No guests allowed!
Eyes recalibrated, receptors drunk, polyglot as single interpreter, nobody leaves and the rain falls lovingly.”
Now that you have been properly acclimated to the environment, the next poem gives you a vision of the future, where today’s murky landscape becomes tomorrow’s everyday existence where we try to survive for yet another day. The next poem is about living in a bizarre world of crumbling surfaces and out-of-body experiences.
But that’s not all. The other poems in this short collection range from one of space travel, the struggle for acceptance when you are neurodiverse, and the ravages of poverty.
In essence, a Hell which a lot of us have to live through every day.
The poems are a short read but they are profound and thought-provoking. If you have some time to kill, pick up The Kingdom of Hell is Inside You by James Machell for a quick and trippy read.
Five stars.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
