There's No Place Like the Internet in Springtime

by Erik Kennedy

Debut collection of poetry by Erik Kennedy

Genres: Poetry

80 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2018

Reviews

[Keen Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

“America, you’re apostrophised so much because you’re still not listening. America, you look even worse from somewhere else than you do from inside yourself.”

The opening poem had a real poignancy to it which I enjoyed. This stuck out for me along with the likes of “All Cats Are Grey in the Dark”, “A Spam Xmas” and “Georgics” where we are told that, “At night, from a car, sheep’s eyes look like the ghosts of snooker balls. The dew falls in orbs and rises in a vaporous pyramid. That’s the water cycle, kid.”

But it’s when we get to politics and the internet where a real edge appears to Kennedy’s work. You can feel the burning anger and frustration coming through, particularly in the likes of “The Democracy Sonnet” as he insists that, “This is not democracy. This is a twist in a mystery story with a card game no one plays.”

Kennedy extends into many areas, not just NZ, the US and Australia but classical music, classical mythology, Korean pottery and Motherwell FC also rate a mention at various points. This was a likeable collection, which has some real high points.

[Simon Sweetman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a pretty fine debut collection - smart, funny, irreverent - hey and that's just the cover and title. Read the fucking book!

[Nod Ghosh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quirkiness is Kennedy's middle name.
When the poet asked '...how bright would something have to be // to make the sun cast a shadow..." I knew I was hooked.