A very curious gift idea: I Cut My Finger

Just found this review of my poetry book I Cut My Finger, as a last-minute 2009 holiday gift suggestion, on a site called The Internet Review of Books. I'm grateful for the reviewer's thought and enthusiasm, and glad she liked the book. It is, however, a truly odd review: I'm not sure I've ever been called "optimistic" before!

I CUT MY FINGER
By Stuart Ross

Suggested by Joanna M. Weston

This is poetry for an evening by the fireside with a bottle of wine. Give it to a friend and tell them to savour, relish, enjoy the poetry.

Ross writes of hamburgers and history, of oceans and orphans, of sonnets and self-portraits with humour. But underlying the piled on images is a realistic, often optimistic, view of the world: the prince will always kiss Sleeping Beauty into wakefulness, will always bring the glass slipper to Cinderella.

Ross links images in a dance of kaleidoscopic colour and shape. At the same time he maintains rhythm and the cohesion of felt emotion. He brings a sense of adventure and wonder to each page; the reader can never be sure what might happen next. Violence erupts occasionally into the poetry, much as it does in real life, but that keeps the reality in Ross’s surreal world. The reader may be bemused by the combinations of images, but must be prepared to suspend belief in order to be both beguiled and surprised.

With time and patience, the pleasure of reading this book will be deep and lasting. Drink the wine of Ross’ poetry, let the prince meet Cinderella and enjoy the last waltz with laughter and delight.

There's no telling how a reader is going to interpret one's work.

Over and out.