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Undertow
Undertow by Canadian author, PJ Thomas, is the first in a series of poetry books. Followed by " Waves " (just published on October 13th, 2022.) Undertow has been described as "... a delight to read, and then to read again." -Ian McLachlan, Professor Emeritus, Trent University. The poet Charlie Petch, winner of a Golden Beret Lifetime Achievement Award, writes of Undertow and PJ Thomas, "It is her commitment to honesty that makes this a truly special and invoking experience." Award-winning songwriter and recording artist, Rick Fines "When I heard PJ's Fundamental Nature I could hear a melody within the rhythm already established in the poem. I'm so happy to get to work with her, shaping songs together." PJ's work has been called a "...three-alarm fire at the corner of Romanticism and Magical Realism." -Frank Flynn, Playwright and Novelist. This first collection of poems is both tender and heart-wrenching. Renowned poet, Justin Million writes in the Foreword to Undertow that these poems include "... Peterborough, the surrounding region, Canada, the Earth, the stars, the spheres, the ineffable... This is a book that is needed right now to help us again find the enormous in the exceedingly small. Isn't that what poets are for?" Blurb here
102 pages, Paperback
Published November 5, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 28, 2023
An undertow is an underlying current or force in opposition to what is apparent, something that can catch us unawares. In Life, meaning is often buried deep, tugging us in directions other than where we meant to go. Some flow with the current, some fight against it, but we are all carried, to a greater or lesser extent, by Life’s tide, to the most unlikely of places and people.
As a theme, Undertow is apt for a collection of contemplative poems--- joys and heartaches, the hidden and the apparent, the vagaries of Life itself. Poems in this collection delight the reader with beautiful imagery and unexpectedly apt turns of phrases to the twinkling of wisdom from lived experience.
Some of my favourite poems from this collection include the following:
From ‘Ghost Tripping’:
we have traversed infinity /bouncing there and back /through and between gates and portals to outer and interior space, /tumbling like DNA’s dice /planet to galaxy to universe …
From ‘Imaginary Mountain’:
The second half of the trek is more exciting. /It is in the dark, /where trendsetters operate. /They are cutting the edge beyond the outreaching fringe. /I hope to skate easily with you on that crystal-clear glacier lake / between halfway up and halfway down /this slick mountainside…
From ‘Tonight’s Concert’:
It comes out of silence/that holy feeling of something from nothing/stillness spilling over into pools of images/visions of canyons filled to their brim with sound...
From ‘Wisely Said’:
I close the book on us with awe and wonder. Everyone has been staggered. All of us have to stumble. /I jostle all my keys nervously and try not to fumble the ball nor my circus-dismount tumble…
P.J. Thomas sees everything with a poet’s keen sense of observation and distils it onto paper with remarkable freshness, going straight to the heart of all things. There is a distinct sense of forlornness but there is never cynicism, as if the author is saying, Yes, Life can be heartbreakingly sad but also ineffably beautiful, and we never know where the undertow will take us.
As a theme, Undertow is apt for a collection of contemplative poems--- joys and heartaches, the hidden and the apparent, the vagaries of Life itself. Poems in this collection delight the reader with beautiful imagery and unexpectedly apt turns of phrases to the twinkling of wisdom from lived experience.
Some of my favourite poems from this collection include the following:
From ‘Ghost Tripping’:
we have traversed infinity /bouncing there and back /through and between gates and portals to outer and interior space, /tumbling like DNA’s dice /planet to galaxy to universe …
From ‘Imaginary Mountain’:
The second half of the trek is more exciting. /It is in the dark, /where trendsetters operate. /They are cutting the edge beyond the outreaching fringe. /I hope to skate easily with you on that crystal-clear glacier lake / between halfway up and halfway down /this slick mountainside…
From ‘Tonight’s Concert’:
It comes out of silence/that holy feeling of something from nothing/stillness spilling over into pools of images/visions of canyons filled to their brim with sound...
From ‘Wisely Said’:
I close the book on us with awe and wonder. Everyone has been staggered. All of us have to stumble. /I jostle all my keys nervously and try not to fumble the ball nor my circus-dismount tumble…
P.J. Thomas sees everything with a poet’s keen sense of observation and distils it onto paper with remarkable freshness, going straight to the heart of all things. There is a distinct sense of forlornness but there is never cynicism, as if the author is saying, Yes, Life can be heartbreakingly sad but also ineffably beautiful, and we never know where the undertow will take us.
May 9, 2026
Undertow is one of those rare poetry collections that quietly settles into your soul and stays there long after you’ve turned the final page. PJ Thomas writes with such honesty, vulnerability, and emotional depth that every poem feels deeply personal yet universally relatable.
What I loved most about this collection is how beautifully it balances tenderness with intensity. Some poems felt comforting and reflective, while others hit with raw emotional force. There’s a natural rhythm and musicality to the writing that makes the words flow effortlessly, almost like listening to a song carried by waves. You can truly feel the influence of nature, memory, love, loss, and human connection woven through every page.
PJ Thomas has an incredible gift for finding profound meaning in small moments. The imagery throughout the collection is vivid and often breathtaking, blending realism with dreamlike emotion in a way that feels magical without ever losing authenticity. I found myself rereading several poems immediately because they resonated so deeply.
This collection feels both intimate and expansive at the same time grounded in personal experience yet reaching toward something universal and timeless. The emotional honesty in these poems is what makes Undertow so powerful. Nothing feels forced or artificial; every piece comes from a genuine place.
For a debut collection, this is absolutely stunning. Thought-provoking, emotional, and beautifully crafted from beginning to end. A truly unforgettable read and an easy 5 stars for me. I cannot wait to continue with the next collection in the series.
What I loved most about this collection is how beautifully it balances tenderness with intensity. Some poems felt comforting and reflective, while others hit with raw emotional force. There’s a natural rhythm and musicality to the writing that makes the words flow effortlessly, almost like listening to a song carried by waves. You can truly feel the influence of nature, memory, love, loss, and human connection woven through every page.
PJ Thomas has an incredible gift for finding profound meaning in small moments. The imagery throughout the collection is vivid and often breathtaking, blending realism with dreamlike emotion in a way that feels magical without ever losing authenticity. I found myself rereading several poems immediately because they resonated so deeply.
This collection feels both intimate and expansive at the same time grounded in personal experience yet reaching toward something universal and timeless. The emotional honesty in these poems is what makes Undertow so powerful. Nothing feels forced or artificial; every piece comes from a genuine place.
For a debut collection, this is absolutely stunning. Thought-provoking, emotional, and beautifully crafted from beginning to end. A truly unforgettable read and an easy 5 stars for me. I cannot wait to continue with the next collection in the series.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews