“Crop Circles” By William Heyen

“Crop Circles”  By William Heyen

“Crop Circles” By William Heyen

From the opening line of the very first poem in this new collection by William Heyen you know you’re in for something different.

Amazon USA      

“Crop Circles”

By William Heyen

75 pages

ISBN: 978-81-8253-697-5

Cyberwit

 

Review by LB Sedlacek

               From the opening line of the very first poem in this new collection by William Heyen you know you’re in for something different.  The whole time I’m reading the poem, I’m thinking (a) this poem sums up my life (and most everyone else’s) at some point and (b) what a jolt!  He doesn’t put you to sleep with the next poem, either.  Nope!  With a title like “Fentanyl” this poem mirrors a few real life tales I’ve heard about at the hospital, but have never ever dared to write about myself.

               The next one, “Dracula,” is a blood boiling poem – you will feel like you are right there in the fanged ones shoes.  More deep, sharp, skin prickling poems follow.

               From the poem “The Banker”:  When the banks opened their doors again, I was there at mine, /

surged in // with all the others to empty my account before whatever happened / to money happened // to mine, but we were all days late & dollars short—no tellers, / no managers, // the cash drawers empty, vault door open to vacant space, deposit boxes / empty, even.” 

An experience probably had by more than a few readers.  Except, in these poems you can expect the unexpected.

            His writing style is connected, but yet not.  It will lead you one way then quickly take you another.  With lines like this “A Girl Scout came to my door selling brains in old milk bottles / from my childhood” from the poem “The Promise” come a unique point of view that makes you stop, think, and read some more. 

            These lines are tantalizing.  They say what you might think, but would never say out loud or express to anyone else. 

            Heyen’s voice is exactly original.  There are no similarities here, and that’s a good thing.  I like to read poems that jump out at me, that leave me wondering, that are not like everyone else’s with a completely original point of view.  Heyen’s verses will set your mind on fire and then some! 

            Here’s another great line from the poem “The Poet”:  “I was thinking of scalping a sonnet.”  I won’t tell you what the poem is about, you’ll need to read the book for yourself.

            Iconic ironic lines flip back and forth from the mundane to the surreal to the macabre and back again.  Heyen is a prolific writer and author of many books.  With clever poems like these, it’s no wonder. 

            In my daily poetical work (teaching, critiquing, editing, etc.) I often hear folks taking up issue with how unexciting poetry is.  “Crop Circles” though will stop your heart, bleed your mind and maybe just maybe make a poetry lover out of you if you aren’t one already. 

 

~LB Sedlacek is the author of the poetry collections “Words and Bones,” “Simultaneous Submissions,” “The Adventures of Stick People on Cars,” and “The Poet Next Door.”  Her first short story collection came out last year entitled “Four Thieves of Vinegar & Other Short Stories.”  Her mystery novel “The Glass River” was nominated for the Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award.  She writes poetry reviews for “The Poetry Market Ezine” www.thepoetrymarket.com  You can find out more about her at www.lbsedlacek.com