It’s All About Rhythm: A few words on John G. Hall’s ‘Me and My Broken Mouth’By John Dorsey
I won’t claim to be an expert on the litrary career ofseasoned poet/editor John G. Hall, in fact his latestoffering from Covert Press was my first experiencesampling his words. Hall has been noted for writingabout love, life, childhood, & politics, in simplerterms the stuff of every day life. ‘Me and My BrokenMouth’ continues in that vein.
Hall is a poet who lays his feelings bear on the page,wears his heart & words on his sleeve, all that...Onecan feel the bite of his words and his personalpolitics throughout ‘Me and My Broken Mouth’. Havingbeen called a political poet more than once myself, Imust admit I feel a kinship with both the poet and hispolitical views.
These things being said, I think Hall is at his bestwhen speechless in the face of the wonder of every daymiracles, rather than the politics that get in the wayof truly living our lives to the fullest, somethingthat from reading his book, I’m sure Hall believes invery very strongly.
Would I recommend ‘Me and My Broken Mouth’ toreaders of modern poetry? Yes and no, if you arecoming to poetry expecting flowers, puppies, or modernsonnets of love, well John G. Hall may just punch youin the stomach, though if you have an appetite blood,guts, and world issues that truly matter, then you mayjust find ‘Me and My Broken Mouth’ well worth coughingup more than a little blood for.
I’ll leave you with a few lines from the title poem,also my favorite from the book...
Me and My Broken Mouth
Me and my broken mouth are not worth listening to, solisten instead to the dust and the dazzle of thisevening’s constellation,to the jumping jacks of our our hearts, to the beat-ing mantra of the waves,please do not listen to me and my broken mouth,while miracles happen.
-John G. Hall
‘Me and My Broken Mouth’ is available for $5pp.from Covert PressPO Box 1057/Port Salerno, Fl 34992.Make checks payable to Michael Grover
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