Ghosts by proxy: A Collection

by Mark Ryan

Emotions can grip us like a vice, pushing us into reactions that hindsight softens, yet perfection is an illusion none of us can claim. Ghosts by Proxy gathers poems shaped by Anger, Indifference, Sadness, Hope and Love, states that refuse the comfort of flawless behaviour. Framed by the spectacle of the “trial of the century,” a series of ghostly beings step forward to testify, each unveiling their own truths about the defendant’s supposed crimes. Their testimonies unravel the raw, surreal and often absurd ways emotion distorts and defines us. This collection becomes a single, shifting lens through which life, love and everything between them is rendered vivid, fragile and haunting.

136 pages, Kindle Edition

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."