Wilt

by Steven Bruce

Wilt is a collection of rousing poetry on transcience, human absurdity, and the struggle to find meaningin an uncaring world.Winner of the 2024 Chiron Book AwardPraise for "Wilt is stunning and fiercely honest about what depletes us. We suffer from the war within and the impossibility of peace. Carl Jung writes that what we repress will come out in anger. Bruce’s poems were written in the trenches of humanity’s the fears, addictions, poverty, child abuse, war, poor health, and other social ills. Bruce flips his finger at the status quo, which has made life absurd."─ BARBARA LEONHARD, Masticadores USA"Steven wrote one of the best poetry collections of this century with White Knuckle. His next book, Caffeine, followed this tradition with a “Faulkner-from-across-the-pond” brilliance.Wilt takes us back into some of the same places as Steven’s older work. But this time, it’s more cynicaland fucked than ever."─ MATT WALL, Poetic Anarchy Press"Wilt pulls no punches, makes no excuses. With muscular dexterity and delicate attention to the nuances of feeling and memory, the ache of late-night reveries, the sting of residual trauma, the distaste for a world run by psychopaths and the vulnerability of love and tenderness in the face of it all. Steven Bruce’s rare, authentic voice fixes each poetic moment to the caulk board in verses steeped in resilience and resistance."─ DR BOB BEAGRIE, Poet and Lecturer

Genres: Poetry

100 pages, Paperback

First published April 10, 2024

Reviews

[Jessica Lynn]

No words!

What kind of twisted sh** did I just read? 😳 My mind is messed up more than I thought. Lol. This book is not for the easily triggered. If you have a dark mind like me, read this. I couldn't stop.

When I think of poems, I think of the ones back in school. I'm not a poem fan, but if more were like this, I could be. I laughed a little too hard at 'and smelled like an unplugged fridge'. I'm going to start using that phrase. 🤣

Great book!

[R.F. Whong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unsettling, moving

This poetry book is deeply unsettling and moving, leaving a lasting impression on me. The raw emotion and pain captured in the poetry make me wonder about the author's own hardships that inspired such heartfelt words.

One minor suggestion, if I may: The unnecessary usage of four-letter words (the word fxxx here and there) spoils the beauty and emotions I’ve experienced in my reading.

[S.A.McClelland S.A.McClelland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poetry collection

A collection of intriguing and interesting poems. Some are very sad, happy and a few made me put down the kindle app to think about them.

[Jackson Simiana · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exquisite collection, 10/10.

I have read Bruce's other works, all of which I have loved, but Wilt will go down as my favourite. The poetry is beautifully written, unflinching, emotionally charged, and at times haunting. Despite having lived a very different life from the author, I found myself relating to the themes of nihilism and existentialism quite profoundly. And that is where the beauty of Wilt lies, because it captures that universal experience we all share as humans in a way I don't often see. I highly recommend Wilt and the other works from Bruce.

[Terry Lister · Rating 5 out of 5]

Steve Bruce gives good value with his mix of poetry themes. While mixing it up, Steve gives the reader much to think about. I found myself somewhat surprised by how much of his work applies to myself.
The style is one that confronts our realities as it draws on our emotions. I never cared much for poetry when I was in school but this could be a turning point for me. I wanted to read on as l turned the pages.
If you like poetry, if you want to be challenged and if you simply want a thought provoking read them read Wilt by Steve Bruce.

[Jyothsna Raju · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing

Loved this book. Love the poetic collection. Each and every word took me into magical sounds of words. Highly recommended.

[James Eldridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Memorable

My mom was a poet and she wrote several hundred works during my childhood, so I’ve mostly stayed away from poetry for the last few decades. Bruce’s work makes me wonder why I did. While his style isn’t for the faint of heart his ability to capture some of the more avoided parts of the human experience is worthy of appreciation.

“Sell enough organs to buy a house outright. One with a metal bathtub. So when the shaboom comes, your carcass can spend an eternity doing a canned sardine impression.”

I’ll be referencing this and several others again and again in the future. Read him and discover your own.

[Cush · Rating 5 out of 5]

Steven Bruce breaks down the conventional frameworks of poetry in a dark, refreshing and poignant way. In this collection of poetry the violent, bleak and bitter aspects of existence are laid forth in a sharp, direct, prosaic manner. One of my favorite pieces out of this collection is 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘈𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘴? In which the rhyme and sonnets of typical poetry are thrown out of the window.

Bruce writes: "Oh but life's rhythms aren't written in syllable counts. Nor is iron forged by trite rhyme schemes." These two stanzas encapsulate the essence of Bruce's approach to poetry in this work. Life itself is both dissonat and rhythmic yet also ugly and perverse. In this sense poetry should reflect the complexities and roughness of this dog-eat-dog cosmos. This was my first introduction to the work of Steven Bruce and I'm quite excited to delve into his other creations.

If you are a fan of the macabre, dark, and bittersweet aspects of life with a twinge of gallows humor you will thoroughly enjoy his writings.

[Arne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Steven Bruce’s Wilt is staggering in scope and emotional depth. It’s brutal, raw, and unflinching—he takes the reader through trauma, abuse, addiction, absurdity, and the daily grind of survival, yet somehow balances it with a remarkable sense of resilience and dark humor. The poems are cinematic and unorthodox, jumping between narrative intensity, philosophical reflection, and absurdist whimsy.

What makes this collection five-star is its fearless honesty. It doesn’t sanitize pain or struggle; it lives in the messiness, the absurdity, and the fleeting moments of beauty. Lines are vivid, sometimes shocking, sometimes tender, always human. There’s a profound empathy here, a recognition of both suffering and endurance that feels lived-in and authentic.

It’s a work that demands attention, challenges comfort, and rewards engagement with its emotional and intellectual breadth. Purely exceptional. Five stars.

[Lyndi Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wilt by Steven Bruce is a collection of dark, raw, and gritty previously published poems that delve deep into the human condition. I found the poems easily accessible albeit hard to read at times due to the narrator’s hard-hitting messages. Although said tongue in cheek, I enjoyed the refreshing thoughts that percolated to the surface about resilience, taking responsibilities for one’s choices and not caring what people think. My favorite hopeful moment came with this stanza as it resonated with me, “Let’s carry the remains/of our hearts outside/and marvel in the lone/moon’s splendor. If there’s a balm for the hurts expressed in this book, that’s it. Wear your boots to wade through these expressions on the muckiness of life.

[MelQ · Rating 5 out of 5]

No place sacred from the beast of man

Steven Bruce's poetry is once again like a smack in the face—biting, raw, caustic, and disturbing enough to wake you up and make you face a world devoid of all the manufactured embellishments that both modern and old conventions have led us to believe are the true world. Bruce doesn't pamper your brain, doesn't write his poetry in syllable counts, or makes it easy to read. It overwhelms as well as shocks. It is scathingly humorous. Realistic is its optimism. Its sentiment hurts. But it is teeming with life. It's poetry, that's for sure. 

[Zowie Norris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honest, real and gutsy

This is the second poetry book that I’ve read by Steven Bruce and once again he has created a highly entertaining and well written read. - I love how real and honest his poems are -written with passion, relatable vocabulary too.
He also uses humour to get his point across too.
Steven doesn’t shy away from writing about some of the more challenging times in life and some of the poetry can be quite dark as a result. My favourite poems were ‘where are the sonnets” and ‘Bottled Laughter’.
A great and recommended poetry book.

[A T · Rating 5 out of 5]

Impactful

I've read this author's other poetry collection books. This one hits hard and doesn't hold back. It's raw, emotional, and may not be for someone looking for light reading. The poems dig into the messiness of life--pain, struggle, and everything in between. You can tell the author is pulling from some deep places, and it makes the poems relatable in a heavy but impactful way. If you like poetry that makes you think and challenges the status quo, this book is worth a read.

[V. C. Sanford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark Raw Reality

I usually dont like poetry. All too often its AI generated junk that has no connection to the reality of my world. I connected with this book. At times dark, and filled with triggers, it also illuminates the reality of so many low income, latch key children in the inner city. You may not like reading about the authors pain, but you can definitly identify where it came from. An excellent collection. 

[Tory Hunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Insightful Reflections

In this collection, the author explores themes of growth, change, and resilience. Each poem captures moments of transformation and the beauty found in life's transitions. It encourages the reader to reflect on their own experiences and embrace the changes that come with growth.

[Carolyn Watson-Dubisch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some of the poems tell a story of a disturbing and violent childhood raised by addicts and overwhelmed by domestic abuse. Some of the poems have other themes, like "Everyday, a Fragment" which ponders the passage of time and fleeting moments. This is actually one of my favorite ones. Great collection.

[Linda M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't read poetry in some time, and I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I could relate to many of the poems and felt a range of emotions. The poems were sad, tragic, thought provoking, and downright funny. Wilt: A Poetry Collection is good for my soul. I found myself going back to reread some of the poems. I highly recommend this book.

[Tom Leverett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I consider the author to be one of the best of modern poets. He is like Bukowski in the sense that he can see the depravity of people, communicate it, and yet keep it in verse that grabs you and sounds good. I loved every poem.

[Julie Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emotional

Admittedly I prefer poems that rhyme. But I keep coming back to this author because his poems are so emotionally deep. It's so beautiful and terrifying at the same time to read such raw emotion. Well done.

[Kristine Burns · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting

This book is filled with a large collection of the authors poems. There is a mixture of good times and bad times, happiness and sadness, praise, and criticism. It was a very intriguing read!

[S M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting read

I don't read a lot of poetry, but a friend suggested this book to me.
All passages are well written and interesting.
Sometimes, he uses some humour to be direct and make a point.
Sometimes, he uses more dark wording.
Highly entertaining!

[Jaden · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was fucking awesome. I don’t read much poetry however I find a great interest in it. This may be my first poetry book I’ve read but I can assure you it’s my favorite one and won’t be anything less when I’ve read hundreds of others.

[Fer Aportela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Midnight Verse XIX

Let's run away.

Leave society
with its hang-ups.

It's only fit
for the gallows
anyway.

Let's carry the remains
of our hearts outside
and reveal in the lone
moon's splendor.

[Chloe Dubisch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Distressing but you can’t look away

I love these dark but somehow beautiful poems written by this long suffering Englishman. I find myself reading them again and again.

[D.David Croot · Rating 5 out of 5]

his best yet!

Reminiscent of bukowski and dan Dante’s prose. Hard bitten
Quickly written
Scarred and battered but there’s heart and sunlight somewhere on the distant shoreline!

[Bruno Abreu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great poems. Could be longer

[Vikstar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Raw, Earthy and Real!

My favourite poem had to be “How to Pass Time While Waiting for the Nuclear Apocalypse to Melt What’s Left of Your Brain.” Although the title might suggest otherwise, it was a nice comic relief to some of the darker poems about alcohol abuse and broken families.

There were some genuine laugh-out-loud moments—I mean, that origami reference. Sensational! I had tears running down my face and had to put my Kindle down for a bit to recover.

My husband came into the room asking, “What are you laughing at?”

I thought for a moment. Should I tell him? Instead, I smirked and said, “Never mind, darling. You don’t need the practice.”

He then shook his head and walked away, remaining mystified.

I feel inspired to write some poetry myself.