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Disturbing Muses
'I have said, I think, that these poems are interpretations of what the poet sees on the canvas. I add that they are imaginary biographies, as true as anything that actually they are biographies written the other way around, from the evidence of the art.'-from the Introduction by Theodora Goss
- GenresPoetry
64 pages, Paperback
First published September 2, 2005
18 people want to read
About the author
Mike Allen
93 books155 followersMike Allen wears many creative hats, at least one of them tailor-made by his wife and partner-in-crime Anita.
An author, editor and publisher of science fiction, fantasy and horror, Mike has written, edited, or co-edited thirty-nine books, among them his forthcoming dark fantasy novel TRAIL OF SHADOWS, his sidearms, sorcery, and zombies sequence THE BLACK FIRE CONCERTO and THE GHOULMAKER’S ARIA, and his newest horror collection, SLOW BURN.
UNSEAMING and AFTERMATH OF AN INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENT, his first two volumes of horror tales, were both finalists for the Shirley Jackson Award for Best Story Collection, and his dark fable “The Button Bin” was a nominee for the Nebula Award for Best Short Story. Another collection, THE SPIDER TAPESTRIES, contains experiments in weird science fiction and fantasy.
As an editor and publisher, Mike has been nominated twice for the World Fantasy Award: first, for his anthology CLOCKWORK PHOENIX 5, the culmination of the Clockwork Phoenix series showcasing tales of beauty and strangeness that defy genre classification; and then, for MYTHIC DELIRIUM, the magazine of poetry and fiction he edited for twenty years.
He’s a three-time winner of the Rhysling Award for poetry. His six poetry collections include STRANGE WISDOMS OF THE DEAD, a Philadelphia Inquirer Editor’s Choice selection, and HUNGRY CONSTELLATIONS, a Suzette Haden Elgin Award nominee.
With Anita, he runs Mythic Delirium Books, based in Roanoke, Virginia. Their cat Pandora assists.
An author, editor and publisher of science fiction, fantasy and horror, Mike has written, edited, or co-edited thirty-nine books, among them his forthcoming dark fantasy novel TRAIL OF SHADOWS, his sidearms, sorcery, and zombies sequence THE BLACK FIRE CONCERTO and THE GHOULMAKER’S ARIA, and his newest horror collection, SLOW BURN.
UNSEAMING and AFTERMATH OF AN INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENT, his first two volumes of horror tales, were both finalists for the Shirley Jackson Award for Best Story Collection, and his dark fable “The Button Bin” was a nominee for the Nebula Award for Best Short Story. Another collection, THE SPIDER TAPESTRIES, contains experiments in weird science fiction and fantasy.
As an editor and publisher, Mike has been nominated twice for the World Fantasy Award: first, for his anthology CLOCKWORK PHOENIX 5, the culmination of the Clockwork Phoenix series showcasing tales of beauty and strangeness that defy genre classification; and then, for MYTHIC DELIRIUM, the magazine of poetry and fiction he edited for twenty years.
He’s a three-time winner of the Rhysling Award for poetry. His six poetry collections include STRANGE WISDOMS OF THE DEAD, a Philadelphia Inquirer Editor’s Choice selection, and HUNGRY CONSTELLATIONS, a Suzette Haden Elgin Award nominee.
With Anita, he runs Mythic Delirium Books, based in Roanoke, Virginia. Their cat Pandora assists.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
February 24, 2012
Disturbing Muses, Allen’s collection of ekphrastic poetry, is a startling visual overload. It sounds corny to say that the long poems in this book have transcended the artworks they are supposed to complement. But they did, and how beautifully...
There’s a jokesy piece entitled “Escher’s Bed” which I loathed because of its irreverence towards M.C. Escher. I did not get some of the mythical allusions and historical references, but that limitation did not prevent me from forming my own (misguided at best) interpretations and from enjoying the poems.
Excerpted from the evocative titular poem “The Disturbing Muses”
....One stood forever in shadow.
Did another shadow, smaller, dart behind?
No mouths with which to speak
but the silence itself chiseled words.
Bring us to her, it said.
Bring her to us.
There’s a jokesy piece entitled “Escher’s Bed” which I loathed because of its irreverence towards M.C. Escher. I did not get some of the mythical allusions and historical references, but that limitation did not prevent me from forming my own (misguided at best) interpretations and from enjoying the poems.
Excerpted from the evocative titular poem “The Disturbing Muses”
....One stood forever in shadow.
Did another shadow, smaller, dart behind?
No mouths with which to speak
but the silence itself chiseled words.
Bring us to her, it said.
Bring her to us.
Displaying 1 of 1 review