Were it possible to sum up Bruce Boston’s Brief Encounter’s with My Third Eye in just a few words, I might use adjectives like “unexpected” and “thought provoking,” but they wouldn’t describe the deep, brain munching abilities Boston instills into his work.
Many of his poems take hold inside of the reader’s mind, wrapping themselves tightly around the medulla oblongata, sinking tiny claws in to disrupt sleep and heart rate.
They whisper back at inopportune moments and cause embarrassment and errors in communication. Brief Encounter’s with My Third Eye might do well to have a warning label:
Brief Encounter’s with My Third Eye is recommended for personal consumption only. It is not recommended to share poems from Brief Encounter’s with My Third Eye while shopping at Walmart. The cashier will neither understand nor care as you try to query her on the possible meaning behind Boston’s Surreal Shopping List. Potential side effects may include thoughtful expressions, trailing off mid-sentence and Googling science terminology while in the cracker aisle.
A heavy hitting volume of over 100 poems, many of which have won prestigious awards, this is no quick read to snack on before bed. Brief Encounter’s with My Third Eye is a full, multi-course meal that has taken four decades to cook up. I find myself returning to find certain poems that continue to call to me.
Intelligent, but not in the dusty old forgotten tomes way that elicits yawns. Boston’s work is eclectic, surprising and feels a little like taking a ride with Doc in his DeLorean through time. While reading, we pass through decades and in the end find ourselves back in the same time where we began only to find that we have been changed by the journey.
Highly recommended for lovers of poetry, poets and anyone who enjoys brilliant word play. To learn more about Boston and his works, please read my interview with him from Monday.
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