Ghosts by proxy: A Collection

by Mark Ryan

Emotions can sometimes take hold and grip you like a vice, forcing you to react to situations, which in hindsight, could be handled without the rawness of an emotive state.But nobody is perfect.Here are a collection of poems covering themes such Anger, Indifference, Sadness, Hope and Love which do not conform to standardized notions of perfection.Set against the backdrop of ‘the trial of the century’, witnesses come forward to tell their own stories and opinions in view of the defendant’s crimes. The witnesses just happen to be ghosts.This collection of poems tackles human emotions that range from the fantastic to the absurd, telescoped in to one rendering through life and love, and all that is in between.

151 pages, Paperback

First published November 26, 2014

About the author

Mark Ryan is a poet and storyteller whose work explores transformation, identity and the quiet pull of the metaphysical. Born in Oxford and shaped by a lifelong fascination with film, myth and the unseen, he writes across poetry, fiction and hybrid forms.

His collections include ‘Graffitied Heart’, ‘Everyday Miracles’, ‘Everyday Nightmares’ and ‘Leviathan of the Soul’. His fiction ranges from the murder mystery ‘Keep It Together’ to the hybrid novel ‘The Gospel of No One’, which blends poetry and prose to explore belief, fractured identity and meaning.

His writing is known for its emotional resonance, atmospheric detail and the sense of hope threaded through even its darkest themes. He invites readers into work that challenges, comforts and lingers.

Favourite quote: "Those who dance are considered insane by those who cannot hear the music."