Something Evil Lurks in Texas: The Configuration Discordant is a collection of horror poetry brimming with gods and monsters

 

 

The Configuration Discordant: An exploration of poetry through the lens of murder, madness, and monsters

John Baltisberger

A Things in the Well Publication, 2019

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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.

Horror Poetry at its Best: Gathered Here Today is a collection of terrifying, creepy poems horror fans will love

 

 

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.

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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.

Surviving the Horror: Fever Dreams sends a powerful message of trying to exist in a world filled with hatred and cruelty

 

Fever Dreams

Dev Solovey

Unveiling Nightmares Press, 2024

ISBN-13: 979-8334417175

Ebook, 111 ppg.

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It’s rare I come across a book that is so damn hard for me to put down, and that’s the kind of thing that Fever Dreams did for me. This book was so damn good. Fever Dreams by Dev Solovey was an addictive read for me. It was just so captivating and surreal. Reading the book was like having a fever dream! A lot of it doesn’t make sense, but a lot of it does. And that’s the beauty about this book. For those of us who understand, there’s a lot that we totally get. And maybe that was why I kept reading it.

 

But that’s not to say that this is one of those “WTF did I just read?” books. It’s not. It’s important to remember what happens in the first chapter. Then things will start to click as one keeps reading.

 

The thing I loved most about this book is that every chapter is unpredictable. At first, when I was reading it, my complaint was that it was just a bunch of stuff happening, with no story. (There’s a story here, though! I promise!) But that’s the thing I really liked about it, how a bunch of stuff kept happening. I mean, at least there was no stagnation. As the Sparrow tells Thaddeus on page 77, “Neither of us can predict what happens next.” Actually, nobody can. Each new chapter is a surprise.

 

But this is more than just a story about what happens following one sister’s attempt to sacrifice another. This is a story highlighting attacks on trans people. I know that Thaddeus would hate me for saying this, but it did bring to light about how the media will swoop in, grab the trans victim, then say that the whole thing was a hate crime because the victim is trans. And the discussion at the end of the story is something to think about too. About how trans kids see so many bad things happening to trans people, murder among them, and fear growing up in a world where they could be the next victim. It’s definitely something to think about and I’m glad this is one of the messages of this novel.

 

Fever Dreams by Dev Solovey was a wild ride to read. It is filled with symbolism and metaphor. There’s a lot of trauma which the character had to endure, and I loved how he changes the narrative by fighting back. This novel is ultimately a story of survival and fighting to maintain one’s identity in a world that continues to persecute it. It’s a short novel that packs a big punch, leaving the reader with some serious and important things to ponder at the end.

 

 

 

Five stars

 

 

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