ReviewStack: McAllister's Mates Eleven
Hi all
Apologies for the delay and my general absence. I feel into a two- week black hole with my third book (Chaos Charms) - I’m at the home stretch now, the writing’s finished. Just a bit more to do on the artwork and formatting. Things are looking good for a June release. (I also plan to be much more present on the platform!
These reviews are part of Reviewstack run by the great writer and pillar of the Substack Community :
An ongoing series of reviews of some of the wonderful articles, poems, and stories I’ve discovered on Substack (and other places) and more importantly the beautiful souls behind the works.
Please take a few moments to read the works of these authors and if you find their work as life-affirming and life changing as I do, then please let them know. We need to support and cherish these voices.
You can meet some of my other friends in the previous instalments: 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
If you want to keep me in caffeine (and keep the ghostly voices whispering for the poetry side of things) - consider clicking below. For any who do so, you have my deepest gratitude.
Simon Mcilwaine
Water has been traditionally seen as a doorway between this world and the next. Whether that be the mysterious lady of the lake of Arthurian legend, or the ancient Greek Hyades - faeries who ride on raindrops. Water in all its forms has delighted our fantasies, and haunted our nightmares for millennia.
Simon Mcilwaine's breathtaking water photography reminds us that the denizens of the deep still hold us under their sway. Simon cleverly uses streams and waterfalls as second lenses. A leaf or flower seen through their rippling sparkle becomes an elemental spirit or magical portal into the faerie realm. Raindrops on autumn leaves become diamond clasps on regal gowns and cloaks. His seascapes are no less impressive and transportative. Mist and soft foam travel across the waves like Peter S. Beagle's sea of ghostly unicorns captured on film. Magnificent waves rise like crystal towers carved by a mad sorcerer. These photos are the work of an infinitely patient hand, coupled with a genius eye to capture the perfect moment. The interplay of light and water is so transient, that for Simon to capture these perfect moments of diamond blazes and ethereal vapours is a precious gift to all lovers of art and nature.
In a world of digital trickery and generic AI filters, Simon’s photography feels truly magical and spectacular. The simple materials of earth and sea are woven into shamanic visions and otherworldly journeys by a master of his craft. Careful though, the siren song of these beautiful images may just take you away.
https://www.simonmcilwaine.com/
This is gorgeous! Intimate, velvety, spicy, and romantic. As usual CJ is precise and forensic in his use of language. The humour is sharp but never trips into bawdiness or vulgarity. It's warmly romantic without becoming slushy. The sensuality in particular finds a very careful balance between excitement, maybe even danger and tasteful restraint. Writing of this nature can become either bland and overly censored or gratuitous and juvenile. This is neither.
The narrative unfolds through suggestive depictions of background objects in the room. Dust, cobwebs, the sound of television static are all employed in a series of striking wordplays. These miniature scenes not only imply the interactions between two lovers, but also suggest an almost transcendent state of mind. The little details of the environment that reveal themselves to usually stressed minds suddenly unburdened from the day’s cares. Ironically it seems that these little wonders that constantly surround us only become obvious when that certain person takes us to a special place.
Soft cadences keep the mood dream and romantic - “withers”, “sniggers”, and the absolute genius of my favourite line “every nearing is a narrowing”. The poem opens and closes with references to a clarinet. This brings to mind an image of a dimly lit jazz club with all its intrigue, romance, and danger. Clandestine meetings between star-crossed lovers or strangers dancing just that little bit too closely. Or maybe its just a shared joke between our couple? The ending just like the rest of the poem is elegant and yet slyly ambiguous - enjoy.
An interesting series that takes famous photos and describes them in minute detail. Part literary experiment, part scene setting masterclass, these are a must for any serious writer. Speaking as a fairly abstract writer (even by poetry's usual standards) I was impressed, and I'll admit somewhat jealous of how the piece combines forensic detail with intense theatricality.
The details of architecture, clothing, and the expressions of the players weave together to create a real sense of movement, even danger. The closest comparison I can find is that of watching a live ballet or opera. The experience of reading this piece is visceral at a level beyond looking at a print or even watching a film. The writing gives the scene a real sense of physicality and we can almost feel the physical shock of the main subject.
The photo itself captures a very famous event, this is mentioned almost in passing at the end. The lack of context actually works for the piece rather than against it. Naming names brings a ton of emotional and cultural baggage to the fore, and it's the mark of a skilled and dedicated writer to resist the easy path. Rather than coasting on your existing (and likely numerous thoughts on the subject), the writing forces you to build the scene from scratch in your imagination. To get the most from this piece, avoid the temptation to cheat. Try to avoid looking at the photo or scrolling to the end. Let the impressions wash over you - you may be surprised at how detailed your mental picture is.
I've been a fan of Tinderbox Poetry for a while now. This publication has been something of a life saver. I've a lot of different resources for the practical stuff - cadence, editing, typography, photoshop techniques etc etc. This one though is for the days where “I'm crap” - I'm pound-shop, knock-off Blake, the art is high school logo design, and the lyrics make Britney Spears look like Joni Mitchell. You all know the feeling. Whether it's advice on time (and life) management, perspective on poetry's much needed role in society, or how to reinvigorate a current project or making the decision to bin it and start again - it's an amazing resource. So when I saw the title of the article, I’ll admit I was a little taken aback by the title of this installment. AI (well specifically generative AI) is something I have been vocal against, and will remain so. However, generative AI (the process of creating Frankenstein ‘art’ from cobbled together samples of illegally harvested creative works) is not the only application of chat GPT et al. It's just the most pernicious.
BUT technology has many applications - as a software developer and graphic designer, technology is a huge part of both my livelihood and artistic expression. This article highlights how AI can support artists without usurping them. From daily scheduling to project management there are ways to use this technology to manage our lives and clear time to find that all important creative space. I needn't have worried - Tinderbox Poetry remains one of the safe havens from the ten-a-penny sharks that sell false promises and scams to deceive artists. (Ironically they often use AI to spew their falsehoods). Tinderbox Poetry remains one of the champions of the human voice offering rich encouragement and gentle discipline to all writers and creatives. I greatly encourage you to relax and take some time with this article, or their many others, reconnect, lift the pen, and start. As for AI doing your writing for you? To quote the article “Don’t surrender rewarding and meaningful habits and/or experiences to a bot.”
I hope you enjoy these beautiful works as much as I enjoyed reading them and writing about them.
You can meet some of my other friends in the previous instalments: 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Substack has proven to be a treasure trove and I already have a few more gifted writers lined up for my next review newsletter.