The Ghetto Landscape Journey
by Ben Brayley
Xlibris


"all that can be said can’t be said enough"

This collection of poems and lyrics is personal and rhythmical. Most of the pieces are confessional and abstract, with the author (or a persona) reciting an inner journey while dealing with the different mysteries of life. Often, the poems are in response to another person, sometimes directly and sometimes more in the sense that the speaker is thinking about that person. Many of these have repeated phrases or choruses and take the form of songs. The themes deal with affection, leaving, and the wonders of the world, among other things. Also, the author has written them with a forward motion involved in the form of a countdown, beginning with ten seconds at the opening of the book.

Brayley's style is very lyrical. He uses a lot of end rhymes and internal rhymes. Clearly, considering the traditional stylistic elements, many of these are songs. However, some of them are much more obscure stylistically, with multiple bits of punctuation, often in the form of colons, breaking up sentences and setting apart phrases. The details of the settings are vague, allowing readers to employ their imaginations as to where events might be taking place. The strongest piece is one titled "Going Nowhere." It differs from the others in that it gives the reader details and concrete images with which to envision the poem. Readers who are drawn to the abstract, as well as strong rhythm and rhyme schemes in their song and poetry preferences, might very well encounter an entertaining experience in Brayley's offering.

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