The Plague Doctor

by James C. Morehead

A mesmerizing collection of eerie, image-rich poems that explore the fleeting nature of existence and friendship, inspired by the world of art and artists. The Plague Doctor combines poetry with mesmerizing ink drawings by Natalia Ardus, art by Mark Kulas and Tony Rubino, and photography by the author.

Poet and musician Lisa Marie Simmons writes in her forward to the collection, “I’ve read this collection three, four, then five times. In my office, in the tour van and the green room, after yoga, and once bundled up beneath an ancient olive tree. Despite those many deep dives, it never seems enough to complete this forward. So I returned—six, seven, ten times. Each reading has me focusing on something new, and a year from now, I know more discoveries will be made as my perspective shifts with my own experiences. This is one of the many things I love about poetry and, in particular, Poet Laureate of Dublin, California, James Morehead’s poetry.”

Genres: Poetry

68 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2023

About the author

James Morehead is Poet Laureate of Dublin, California and has published several collections of poetry including "canvas”, "portraits of red and gray", and "The Plague Doctor." James' poem "tethered" was transformed into an award-winning hand drawn animated short film, "dissolving in the gallery" was set to music for baritone and piano, and his poems have appeared on NPR, SF Chronicle's Total SF, Ignatian Literary Magazine, Cathexis Northwest Press, Beyond Words Magazine, Citron Review, Prometheus Dreaming, 2nd Place - Oprelle Oxbow Poetry Contest 2022, and others. He also hosts the Viewless Wings Poetry Podcast which features interviews with poets and artists.

"James Morehead's imagery is vivid, spare and elemental, and it is consistently chosen and arranged to achieve intensely poetic effects. The rhythmic control is impeccable." - Carmine Di Biase, Distinguished Professor of English, Emeritus - Jacksonville State University

Reviews

[ThatBookish_deviant · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75/5


“It is the mask I can’t shake. Spectacles for eyes and a beak filled with dried flowers and spices. Lavender rose, mint camphor. Musty sweet in decay. Stuffed snug to dispel miasma and plague spreading smells that wait in the shadows for death to return.

“We searched for seaglass while tides painted then erased mountain like ridges in fading blacks and shifting grays, until the earth’s rotation stole you away.”

My favorite poems in this short collection were ‘The plague doctor’ and ‘How I found you when the pareidolia fled’. The quotes above are taken from both poems.

[littlesmuttyone · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't read poems in so many years a friend recommended the plague doctor I enjoyed it so much

[Ricky's Rockin' Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

✍️ "The Plague Doctor"

A collection of poems by James C. Morehead. This little book was put together with an eye for composition and an appreciation of art. Thus, it is printed on stark white pages that bring out the best in the black and white photographs or art that accompany many of the poems . It's a beauty to look at. @lisa_mariesimmons also writes an incredibly thoughtful Foreward that sets the stage for the rest of the book.

It is divided into three acts. Act 1 has a running theme of perception. Where does our mind go when we see more than face value? Whether it be a Halloween costume, a giant clock, or the abandoned town of Bodie, California.

Act 2 serves as a tribute to painters and artists in general. This one features my favorite poem in the collection called "welcome to our gallery," which elicits every feeling I've had when visiting an art museum.

Act 3  deals with memories of music, nature, and self reflection. Led Zeppelin and pinball are also contemplated in a new way.

There is a nifty inclusion of a QR code in the Acknowledgments that takes you to all the referenced art that is not shown within these pages. I found that to be a great resource that helped me appreciate the poetry. There were several poems I enjoyed, and some of those stand out as gems that I would like to read again in due time.

[Page West · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm going to preface this by saying that poems are very hard for me to interpret. I feel like I'm digging for meaning, and end up either digging too far, or not enough.

This collection of poems had me intoxicated. It feels like I was in the perspective of someone who was trying to find themself while exploring art mediums.

In actuality, I suppose that's exactly what was happening. I was reading these poems and trying to figure out what spoke to me about them.

While it isn't something I'd always pick out for myself, I'm glad I had an opportunity to read this (thanks so much for the copy) and I think being able to pick it up over and over and find more meaning in familiarity will be a great benefit to me.

[Jen Colclough · Rating 4 out of 5]

This poetry collection by James Morehead is an engaging read that balances the macabre with the familiar, creating a poetic space which allows for everyday rituals to coexist with enchantment. His poems are presented alongside photographs and artwork-- many of which are ink drawings by Natalia Andrus. The poems themselves are snapshots of everyday life imbued with a sense of wonder. Poems like "Memoir of a Starter" draw on traditionally comforting imagery to produce a haunting result. In "The moment before totality," Morehead personifies the sun, moon, and earth as ancient gods discussing their roles in an eclipse.

In Act II, Morehead draws our attention to works of art and their viewership, engaging with both sides of artistic practice. By deploying images of art galleries and museums, Morehead draws our attention to the poetic space he is creating to remind the reader that they are, essentially, a voyeur. The poetic space becomes a museum, each poem doubling as an exhibition for the reader to interact with (or not) at their leisure.

Overall, a thoughtful and engaging read.

Note: I was provided a copy of the book by the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Maddie Elam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’d like to start by saying thank you so much for a review copy.

These poems are beyond unique. The images paired with the poems truly capture their essence so well. This is a collection you can read again and again. You’ll be left with a feeling of unease, and the concepts discussed make you truly consider life, our shared experiences, and the way art brings this all together.

The poetry itself is not difficult to read, but with each read, you understand the poems on a deeper level. If you enjoy this, I can’t recommend The Plague Doctor enough.

[Danielle Wong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fabulous!

I love how it is divided into three parts: one in the here and now; one in music; one in an art gallery; one in music. The poems in each section highlights the fact that art is the glue that interconnects us and mirrors our shared ephemeral lives.

"The tock beneath my scalp" is a wonderful reminder to enjoy the present because we are all clocks with "springs removed/nothing to wind".

It is definitely is a collection of poems that calls me to read and read and read again.

[Jessica Barnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I just received my copy of these amazing poems yesterday and I already finished it!

I’ve never read such poems that made me stop at think the way these did
I loved every single second of it

Highly recommend

[Crystal DeBoard · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short collection of beautiful and unique poetry with amazing illustrations that accompany them. The cover art is absolutely breathtaking. If you enjoy poetry and are a fan of literature, then I think you will enjoy this.

[Korina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Goodreads giveaway win!

I am picky when it comes to poetry, but this collection I enjoyed. Some favorites are She is San Francisco, Memoir of a Starter, and Fox, Bear, Wolf, and Pine.

Very creative and beautifully written. Highly recommend to poetry lovers and those that just want an escape.

[Books Amongst Friends · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5 I have to admit, I was initially a little thrown off. I went into this collection expecting something darker and eerier, especially given the title and the prominence of the first poem. I was hoping for a series of poems tied to the themes of the plague doctor and that historical era.

However, as I kept reading, I really grew to appreciate the connection to art—both historically and personally. While this collection didn’t resonate with me as deeply as I’d hoped, the poems are well-written and capture a wide range of emotions. There will definitely be readers who connect with them more than I did, and I can still acknowledge the quality of the work.

[Caitlin Conlon]

James Morehead’s newest collection is a tender ode to art and the artists that create it. The rhythm of these poems makes them jump off the page, then dance with you as you read. Consuming this book was like entering a new world—it was such a gift to live inside of, if only for a little while.

[Peder Scott Sorensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seeing yourself lost in a painting, becoming an artist's composition, watching flower petals dance in the wind, witnessing San Francisco become its own living & breathing being, and discovering your animal guardians, these are only some of the adventures and imagery that James Morehead's "The Plague Doctor" evokes within its written word. Not all poems or collections can bring back vivid and beloved memories of the past, or the simple joys among daily life, and that truly is a gift that these insights are accomplished within this book's poetry.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poets enjoy making us look up words in the dictionary. It is a way of increasing our vocabulary of poetry. It takes more than vocabulary to make a great poem, though, and James C. Morehead, Poet Laureate of Dublin, California, knows that. Morehead is a social-media-savvy poet. He has been widely published and has two poetry books preceding The Plague Doctor.

This book is structured into Act I, Act II and Act III. There is a rising and falling action within this format, as you would expect. The first poem of the Act I, which gives this book its title, seems to imply the way we felt haunted after the events of the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused isolation and fear among the people, in addition to illness and death.

After a strong beginning, the book abandons the pandemic as a direct subject. There is no shortage of themes, however. There are themes of loss, of death, of the failure to grasp the moment we inhabit, and the falsity of ourselves as presented to others. As befitting a poet laureate, place has a strong presence in these poems.

There are also themes of joy and meaning as found in art. The poem that introduces Act 2 is titled welcome to our gallery. Here we learn to understand the concept of ekphrasis, which is a literary description or commentary on a visual work of art. The poems in this section are all about a variety of works of art as experienced by the poet. It is a way of finding subjects to write about, a way to interact with the art of others. In Morehead’s skilled hands, however, it becomes more. These are full collaborations with the artists mentioned. Morehead participates fully, bringing as much meaning to the projects as the artists themselves. The highlight of these is the poem titled Twilight in the Sculpture Forest, his evocation of a journey through a sculpture garden in rural Ontario. A beautiful short film was made of this experience. In this section of the book, I recommend you look up the artists mentioned.

Through this parade of experience, ideas and themes, the poetry remains true. Morehead has all the skills needed to explore these areas with us. His command of rhythm, his use of form and mood, and his depth of meaning all work together to create poetry that is readable and even re-readable. He is a master of his craft, and it is our pleasure to be engaged in him and to join him on these short but meaningful journeys.

[Anthony · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Review

These were some incredibly powerful and chilling poems. The fantastic imagery and atmosphere that the author is able to tap into with these poems will stick with readers long after the book has been read, and the imagery that accompanies the book’s pages helps evoke an emotional response that touches upon the iconography that we latch onto to represent the key emotional moments in our lives.

To me, the heart of this collection rested in the balance between macabre imagery and heartfelt themes. The idea of life and death plays across some of life’s toughest moments, from life in the big city (San Francisco in this case) to the striking fear of performing alone on a stage. I also enjoy the way the book was divided into “Acts” as if life were a play and the poems were but the stage in which they were lived, and the way these poems also reflected on the artistic works that moved the author throughout their journey through San Francisco was greatly expressed through these poems.

The Verdict

Heartfelt, haunting, and engaging, author James Morehead’s “The Plague Doctor” is a must-read poetry collection. The almost narrative feel to the overall collection and the memorable way the author was able to tackle such dark and entertaining imagery through their poems with the emotional journey that the poems represented made this a compelling book to get lost in.

[Tenisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Reading *The Plague Doctor: (in three acts)* by James Morehead was like stepping into a dream—beautiful, eerie, and deeply reflective. From the very first poem, I felt like I was being drawn into a world where art, memory, and mortality collide in the most hauntingly elegant way.

Morehead's writing is incredibly vivid; each line feels like a brushstroke on a canvas, painting images that linger in your mind long after you've turned the page. The structure—three acts—gives the book a theatrical quality, almost like you're watching a performance unfold, each piece adding to the overarching theme of impermanence and human connection.

What really struck me was how seamlessly the poetry intertwined with the stunning illustrations by Natalia Ardus. The visual elements add another layer to the experience, making it feel immersive rather than just a collection of words on a page. You don’t just read this book—you *feel* it. There's a melancholy beauty in the way Morehead explores the fleeting nature of friendships, art, and life itself.

If you love poetry that makes you pause and reflect, that takes you on a journey through time, memory, and creativity, this book is absolutely worth picking up. It’s the kind of collection that leaves you feeling a little changed—like you’ve glimpsed something profound and fragile, something you want to hold onto just a little bit longer.

[Breanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

James Moreheads The Plague Doctor is brilliant. Full of imagery that will follow you long after you’ve closed the pages. An ode to art and artists alike, it’s apparent that not only is Morehead an artist himself, but a man who loves art passionately. Accompanied by breathtaking images The Plague Doctor is genuinely beautiful.

Often, poetry is much like a painting. Every person who reads a poem has the ability to take something entirely different away from it. Beauty, as they say, is in the eye of the beholder. Because of this, often times poetry collections aren’t appreciated in the way books or novels are. I do think though that Moreheads use of rhythm and emotion can be appreciated by people of all walks of life, even those folks who don’t tend to enjoy poetry.

Looking forward to seeing more from James Morehead in the future !

[Marika Whaley · Rating 5 out of 5]

(I received this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author for sending it to me!)

What happens when you mix the eery and macabre with the familiar? With the day to day? With art? With the human experiences and human connection?

James Morehead expertly creates an engaging read which delves headfirst into these, into isolation, into death, into art, into being a voyeur. With every poem, the sense of unease and wrongness increases as he describes the mundane with vivid imagery and a sense of rhythm in little snapshots. Morehead perfectly pairs many poems with an illustration or photo to further the mood.

Expertly written and appealing to your human side, I would highly recommend this poetry collection. Even those who may not otherwise enjoy poetry should give this book a try, as it uniquely engages with the imagination

[Annaka Jolynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to James Morehead and Viewless Wings Press for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.


The collection primarily consists of lyrical descriptions of snapshots or the pinings of a personified ethereal admiration. I think these shine best when the poems leave an idea open to an unwritten story. As in “hiding from the curator” (that calls to mind the start of a portal adventure) and “The tock beneath my scalp” (which, in my mind, is a companion to the last poem “When you perform my autopsy, be prepared”).

My favorites were:
- She’s suspended in turquoise
- Sketch of a humerus, tibia, and laughing skull
- Fox, bear, wolf, and pine
- The tock beneath my scalp
- When you perform my autopsy, be prepared

I also like the word “pareidolia.”

[Chelsea Pawer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Poems are a hard thing to judge, they're subjective and to me, it's always about how they make you feel. That being said, I reread this collection multiple times, and there were poems that I read aloud to my partner because I just had to share them. I can see this being a collection I return to, and I will proudly display these poems! My personal favourite was fox, bear, wolf and pine; though there were many poems I'd be happy to reread again and again. If you're interested in picking up some poetry, I recommend to check this collection out

[Jenna A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't read poetry in a hot minute, so I was definitely intrigued about this anthology - especially when the cover gave off such a creepy vibe!

There were definitely several poems that stuck out to me, and while some had a horror vibe, it wasn't the case for all of them. One of my favorites was actually focused on a starter loaf of sourdough bread. I was not expecting it to make me feel heartbroken!

I'd recommend this collection of poems for someone looking for a change of pace, and I truly enjoyed the way the author got me to think about things I normally walk right past. Let's all take a moment to appreciate the beauty around us each day.

[Laura DeGrave · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had received a review copy from the author.
There are five poems missing art or photographs, according to mentions under the titles:
She's suspended in turquoise
alexa calls to me
where canvas ends and bush begins
ode to dahlia
hiding from the curator
There was one poem that resonated with me; fox, bear, wolf, and pine.
I loved the painted pictures within the words of animals and nature.
Simplistic, good-hearted, well-being sang from those lines.
As for the rest of the book's theme, it held a melancholy air.

[Özge · Rating 5 out of 5]

James Morehead’s The Plague Doctor is a captivating collection that seamlessly blends the art of poetry with visual imagery. In this book made of three acts, each poem serves as a portal into a strange world of time, death, and identity, and my personal favourite has been Act I. The visual images that accompany the poetry are equally striking; they capture the essence of the poems beautifully. The Plague Doctor creates a sense of unease and mystery that lingers long after the book is closed.

[Ivy Raff · Rating 4 out of 5]

More than other ekphrastic works, these poems are true love letters to the writer’s objects of focus. In turn, the reader feels like a witness to an act of great care - the writing itself. Several personification pieces make the book alive with multiple voices. “Mother Earth calls her colors” kicks off a particularly arresting stanza that speaks to the heart of the book; something greater than us is the thing at work in artwork.

[Mae Setrova · Rating 3 out of 5]

so, so good!

i adored this book. i've already left a review on goodreads but i need to add one here too! this gave me vibes similar to ones i get when reading edgar allen poe, charles bukowski, etc. i loved the little details added like the illustrations & photographs linking to the poems, and the cover?? i mean c'mon. this would make be AMAZING display book for shelves, coffee tables, etc.

[Kylee Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

the plague doctor contains some of the most unique poetry i’ve ever read. the illustrations and images paired with the poems take it to another level. with macabre imagery and chilling, but heartfelt themes throughout the collection, this is a must-read for poetry fans.

my favorite has to be “the moment before totality,” where the sun, earth, and moon are personified as gods and discuss their rolls in an eclipse.

thanks to the author for a review copy!

[Kristen’s Literary Lair · Rating 4 out of 5]

It has been quite awhile since I read poetry but I really enjoyed this collection!

It is divided into three acts, all focusing on a different theme. Each act is well balanced and thought provoking.

I enjoyed these poems quite a bit—the imagery was fantastic and the prose was lovely. I will definitely look forward to reading more of Morehead’s work in the future!

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I randomly walked into James Morehead’s booth at the LA Times Book Festival, drawn in by this book’s cover art. I had no idea who he was or that he had written the book. He was incredibly friendly. It’s a great collection of poems covering a range of themes, five or six of them really blew me away, and I’ve already shared them with others.

[Tricia De Jesus-Gutierrez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Morehead’s most recent poetry collection provides an engaging read. Within each experience relayed, his emergent voice offers you a gentle glimpse into certain moving picture instances of the stories recalled in each piece. An appealingly rendered array of poems.

[Jen Self · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an absolute joy this book is! Morehead paints beautiful portraits of art and artists with his words and the accompanying artwork and photographs are wonderful as well. This book is most definitely going on the "will read again" shelf!