Customer Reviews

Victory

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Burt's mastery of the historical aspects of his chosen time periods shine through his original use of context and diction. Composed of four extended poems, "Victory" is victorious for its simple portrayal of life and character within each piece. Burt's expertise of his chosen subject matter, as well as his original wit and clever diction, make poems like the title-text must-read pieces for any person who enjoys contemporary poetry. Balanced halfway between the standards of the classic masters and the experimentation of the new millennium, "Victory" is one of Burt's finest successes yet.

History can be dry and dull, but not when reading Victory by John Burt. History is turned into something living in the four long poems found in this work. Burt takes dates and unarguable facts and explores history's details in this collection of poetry. I found the poems very beautiful, natural and captivating.

''Burt undoubtedly has researched the historical events that he has illuminated in his poetry. However, his knowledge is expertly woven into the poems so as not to be forced or overwhelming. The details are included naturally. The book includes a brief summary of the historical events and people that he writes about, which is helpful. I must say that it was hard to appreciate this literature to its fullest potential because I didn't know enough history.

''I was impressed by how removed the poet's voice was in the poems. The voices were distinct according to the person's story the poem was telling. They read like a first person novels. In a way, it reminded me of a Victorian monologue, where the details and thoughts of a specific historical character is illuminated. He gave a very realistic voice to various historical events and people.

There were a few parts of this work that I especially enjoyed. The images he created were very beautiful. Broader themes of politics and the human experience weren't absent from this work, but they were conveyed in subtle ways that really resonated with me as a reader. I was impressed with how he brought common words together in unique ways. The voices he created for his characters didn't seem forced or to contrived which made the poems seem more real.

''My overall impression of Burt's work is that it was thoughtful and compelling. His project in poetry is an important one: giving a real voice to history. His style of poetry is not my favorite, but I found reading Victory truly enjoyable.