Notes From The Bonfire by Matt Nagin

 

In Matt Nagin's poignant collection of poems, the relentless cadence of time echoes through verses tinged with the stark realities of a pandemic era. The introspective verses dissect the illusion of infinite time, portraying a universe where shattered windows, winding clocks, and the looming final curtain underscore the fragility of existence.

With the opening poem, The Virus That Hunted The Sun, Matt not only chronicles a tumultuous time but beckons readers to confront the absurdity with a twisted grin. It's a rollercoaster of emotions, where the gravity of the situation meets the levity of laughter, and reality blurs into the realm of dreams. "The Virus That Hunted The Sun" is not just a poem; it's a visceral journey through the looking glass of a world unhinged.

Broadway is a ghost town.

Flights out of JFK to Puerto Rico

go for 21$,

and all flights from Europe

are banned for thirty days—

value of a lifetime.

Great deal.

Get in while you can.

Thanks Jim Cramer,

any other great advice?

In "Time Left," readers are thrust into a surreal world where dessert courses mark the proximity of an end, love is blinded, and reforms blaze like broomsticks amidst the backdrop of a pandemic-altered reality. Poems like "Let The Words Out Like Rain," "Update," and "Something Left" weave a tapestry of resilience, yearning, and self-discovery against the backdrop of a world grappling with the profound shifts brought on by COVID-19. The collection takes a moving turn in "Shooting Turtles," where the seemingly trivial pursuit of shooting turtles reveals a darker undercurrent of boredom, sport, and the unsettling allure of innocent lives lost. Moreover, in "The Dead," the stark reality of the pandemic unfolds as a visceral torrent of emotions, seamlessly blending sorrow, nostalgia, and a biting critique of societal indifference.

Notes From The Bonfire is more than a poetry collection; it is a poignant commentary on the shared human condition, providing solace and understanding amid the uncertainties of our times. Matt’s poetry invites readers to reflect on existential questions, blending the intimate struggles of self-discovery with the broader canvas of societal challenges during those unprecedented times.

- Rochak Agarwal