Review of "The Light the Dead See: Selected Poems" by Frank Stanford

How does one review a work of such magnitude and depth, written by a profoundly talented, yet deeply troubled poetic-prodigy of recent times? The Light the Dead See: Selected Poems by Frank Stanford is a work of staggering genius.

Published posthumously, Stanford's book of selected poems really showcases his range as an artist, as it collects poems he wrote throughout his brief lifetime. Most contemporary poets do not find their niche until late in life (i.e. John Ashbery, Mark Halladay, John Gallaher, etc.).

Stanford is an unorthodox exception.

He died from three, self-inflicted gunshot wounds just before his 30th birthday. But his natural mastery of poetry was never in question.

In The Light the Dead See, Stanford illustrates a bleak picture of life and portrays Death as a lingering friend and companion. When looking at his suicide, these poems seem to be an eerie foreshadowing of what was later to follow.

One of the poems that I feel best encompasses the recurring themes and motifs in his book is a poem the book is titled after "The Light the Dead See".

Throughout this poem, Death comes to life; he takes on this persona who provides a kind and gentle end to a troubled life.

A roar sucks them under

The wheels of a darkness without pain.

Off in the distance

There is someone

Like a signalman swinging a lantern.

This non-violent and caring portrayal of Death is unique, and remains consistent throughout the poems in his book. It is really a shame that Stanford took his life at such a young age; it would have been nice to continue reading the poems of such a masterful writer.

The light grows, a white flower.

It becomes very intense, like music.

They see the faces of those they loved,

The truly dead who speak kindly.

If you are so inclined, please check out one of Stanford's most famous books, The Battlefield Where the Moon says I Love You; a 500-page epic poem that is all over the place in terms of subject matter, but still remains one of his most tragic and beautiful books.

Friday I'm in Love

"Friday I'm in Love" will feature an inspirational song of the week that has had some impact on a poem I have written. I will encourage my readers to find a song that has some sort of meaning to them and use it in a creative writing piece. I'm not advocating plagiarism in any way. Rather, use the song's lyrics to help guide imagery, metaphor, etc.

For instance, this week, my song will be "Friday I'm in Love" by The Cure. And every Friday from here on out, I will post a different song that has inspired me and then share the poem I have written as a result.

In "Friday I'm in Love", Robert Smith (lead singer of The Cure) deals with the trials and tribulations of the week. Most of his troubles seem to stem from a love that has gone sour, making his weeks unbearably insufferable. Friday, however, is the day he realizes he is probably better off without her, and celebrates.

So if I were to write a poem with this as my inspiration, I would probably start with the theme of "lost love" or "reveling in isolation". Similar to Robert Smith, I would keep my writing playful, light, and somewhat quixotic.

Put all this together, and we have a lightly humorous and idealistic haiku I shall call:

Tomorrow Eats Today

Here lies the black rose,

dead petals dying softly;

life begins anew.

There you have it; give it a try. Don't feel obligated to limit yourself to just a haiku either. Really explore the inner depths of the song you have chosen and bring it to life in your own creative way.