Hello, bookworms!
I recently received an ARC of Francis DiClemente’s new poetry collection, “The Truth I Must Invent”. If you are a frequent reader of my reviews, then you and I are no strangers to DiClemente’s works. I reviewed his poetry collection “Outward Arrangements: Poems” about a year ago and easily fell in love with his ability to string words together in the most unexpected ways to create compelling poetry.
His new collection, “The Truth I Must Invent,” lives up to that standard. The book is a collection of poems divided into six parts, each carrying a depth of its own.
This review focuses on three of my favourite poems in the book.
The first poem in this collection, “Uncle On Screen," captures a poignant and thought-provoking moment where the existence of a deceased loved one is felt through the realms of social media.
“The dead never disappear.
They live on through social media.”
I find these very lines evocative and unusually interesting. These lines establish the central idea of how the digital world keeps memories and connections alive.
Further in the poem, DiClemente’s observation of Fiore's gaze penetrating the computer screen and locking onto it adds an eerie yet comforting element. It conveys the idea that love transcends time, space and even death itself.
Another poem in the collection I found myself loving is “Man Inside Nighthawks”.
This poem, from my understanding, skillfully delves into the perspective of a figure trapped within the famous painting "Nighthawks" by Edward Hopper. The poem masterfully captures the sense of isolation and longing for freedom within the confines of the artwork.
The first three stanzas immediately establish the persona’s state of immobility and restriction. The inability to engage with the surroundings or the people depicted in the painting adds to the feeling of entrapment.
“This is my life: suspended in warm, yellow light,
trapped in a soundless environment—
no water running, no fan whirring, or grill sizzling.
No sirens or street sounds beyond the glass.”
The last poem to focus on from the collection will be “Enchanted Forest”.
This poem beautifully takes on the idea of the yearning and escapism of a young boy's imagination as he seeks solace in the belief of an enchanted forest.
The opening lines vividly portray the boy's longing for a backyard transformed into a vast, untamed forest. The contrast between the natural wilderness he desires and the mundane elements typically found in a suburban home, such as the “trimmed lawn, tool shed, swimming pool, and garden”, enhances the sense of escapism and his yearning for something more.
The imagery of the “green canopy shimmering above and a rocky path leading deep into the woods” paints a picture of an idyllic and immersive environment where the boy can lose himself and escape from the troubles within his home. The contrast between the serenity of the imagined forest and the discordant sounds of his parents' arguments creates a poignant juxtaposition, emphasizing the boy's need for refuge.
Generally, DiClemente’s book is a collection of poetry with a thematic focus on introspection, existential contemplation, and the exploration of emotions and experiences. The book delves into the human condition, examining various aspects of life such as love, loss, identity, and memory, among others.
The poems display a mastery of imagery by utilizing vivid language to provoke feelings and create realistic settings.
The poems also have impressive linguistic and metaphorical acuity, with the poets using symbolic language to convey profound sentiments and heady ideas. The titles are themselves representative and suggestive of the book's themes and concepts.
I definitely recommend this book to all poetry lovers!
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟 (4 stars)
Get a copy of the book on Amazon or Barnes & Noble
About The Author
Francis DiClemente is an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker who lives in Syracuse, New York. He is the author of multiple poetry collections, most recently The Truth I Must Invent (Poets' Choice, 2023), Outward Arrangements: Poems (independently published, 2021), and Dreaming of Lemon Trees: Selected Poems (Finishing Line Press, 2019). His writing has also appeared in Evening Street Review, Bewildering Stories, Narratively, The Millions, Artnet News, Film International, Connotation Press, Stone Canoe, and in the books Air: A Radio Anthology (Books by Hippocampus, 2019), Chicken Soup for the Soul: Find Your Inner Strength (2014), and Six-Word Memoirs on Love and Heartbreak (Harper Perennial, 2009). His blog can be found at francisdiclemente.com.