Stephen F. Austin University Press Here Lies

Alternatingly hilarious and poignant. A clever weaving of the personal and an exploration of form and style. Hunley's work never fails to teach me something new about poetry, but HERE LIES made me reflect on how we are remembered.

Here Lies by Tom Hunley was an interesting read. Each poem was unique in its interpretation of a different death scenario and leaves the reader to wonder about his or her own mortality. Speaking of dying in such a calm and eloquent way allows the scene to evolve and set up the narrative that is being designed. It is easy to get lost in the poetry and lose track of time, quickly joining Hunley as he gains more lives just to lose them in interesting well-written ways. I don’t own many books of poetry, but this is one I will keep on my bookshelf and reread again. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for an interesting read with a take on life outside of the normal.

Tom Hunley’s book is full of poems imagining his own death and features none other than our lost ape brother Harambe. These fictitious imaginings are creative, eloquent, funny and/or sad. Tom has a way of beating phrases into submission with a lead pipe and then coaxing them back into his arms. Some of these lines are so poignant you feel as if you’d been poked in the eye. Insightful, irreverent but holy as the human heart can be holy in its knowledge if its limitations.“Death is a pirate that opens your cheststeals everything shinyAs a child, Tom feared the darknot knowing what it heldAs a man he plunged into itstill not knowing”

Here Lies is a creative and enjoyable book of poetry that takes a look at mortality and the what-if's of life. I loved the descriptive and succinct language found within. Overall I think this could be a great book for someone who likes poetry but is not deeply immersed in it, and could be a good way to introduce new people to the genre. I was reading this at work one time and my co-workers, who do not enjoy poetry, loved phrases like "beer-bottle glass head" and a death via mosh pit. Many of these poems are witty and tinged with hints of a somberness that allow me to take a better look at my own writing and how to effectively engage my readers.

Truth be told, I don't read poetry often so critiquing this book for its poetic quality I am unqualified to do. With that, I can tell you I really enjoyed it! I appreciate the wit, the deep thought, the balance, tone, and temperature of the content. "Leaving" was my favorite poem as I immediately read it a second time. It will be a book I go back to often.