Dream Receipts

by Mark Apel

Dream Receipts is a poetry travelogue of hallucinated journeys to Japan from author Mark Apel. Dream Receipts explores themes of escapism, depression, faith, shadows, daylight, night terrors, daydreaming, and the surreal beauty of an imagined Japan.

72 pages, Paperback

First published January 23, 2024

About the author

Mark Apel is a poet and fiction writer and lives with his wife, daughter, and small dog in Texas. Visit mdapel.com to read Mark's blog, join his mailing list, and to buy his books.

Reviews

[Jacob Zabka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Getting to experience these dreams of Japan with Apel was truly amazing! Now I’m feeling the urge to book a plane ticket ;)

[LA · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite newer poet. I typically love fantasy work so am constantly dreaming of places I’ve never been. The thought behind this book is brilliant and the poems themselves are beautiful. I feel like Mark always knows exactly which words to use every time —words that feel good in your brain or mouth, words to weigh and consider. I look forward to seeing what he puts out next.

[Chelsy Olvera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Within this tiny book is the door to an epic adventure. Not only was I transported to Japan, but I morphed into the characters, human and non-human alike. I could see, smell, taste, hear, and feel this book. The entire experience felt physical. Thanks for taking me along for the ride, Mark.

[Corrie Camp · Rating 5 out of 5]

These poems truly transport you to a Japanese dreamscape. Each word is chosen carefully and the reader is embedded in the scene with Apel, exploring various cities without being limited by logic and time. I also appreciated the nod to the heated vending machine tea ;)

[Johnny Oehler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the book. Each entry had me drifting through the dreamscape filled with the sounds, smells, tastes, and sights that fueled my imagination and desire to visit Japan myself someday! Will definitely be reading again soon to let myself sit with the deeper themes woven throughout the poems. Brilliant work.

[Vanessa Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

This delightful collection of short, elegant and evocative poems about (in a deliciously loose sense) Japan has a wonderful and original premise — the author, Mark Apel, explains on the book’s Amazon page:

"I have never been to Japan, but I thought it would be an interesting exercise to imagine I had been, or that I was currently there, or, to take it one step further, that I could go there somewhat metaphysically, whenever I chose.”

I read, and occasionally write, poetry, and find it a difficult genre to critique as it is so very personal, both to the reader and especially to the writer. But I found these poems to be like a gentle, sometimes poignant conversation that invites the reader to listen, maybe even to join in. Various themes flicker in the undercurrent, including loss, faith, happiness and, again in the poet’s words, the surreal beauty of an imagined Japan. I have only been to that surreally beautiful country for two weeks of travel and exploration but its alluring attraction has stayed with me and I found many subtle echoes in these verses.

For any lover of poetry, of carefully crafted language offering the reader a passage to another world, I highly recommend this appropriately dreamlike collection.