The Breakage: Poems

Glyn Maxwell's The Breakage is an excellent book of poetry in which Maxwell allows the reader into his life. The poems are easy to understand and the subject matter is interesting. My favorite poems in the book include 'The Breakage', June 31st, The Somme', 'Letters to Edward Thomas', and 'Hide and Seek'. Each of these poems is a glimpse into Maxwell's life. They are personal and allow the reader to feel a connection to the speaker. The poet writes about common things like everyday conversations and childhood games, which allow the reader to relate to what is being said. It is encouraging to know that there is a poet that can still write creatively. One of the best aspects of The Breakage is Maxwell's language. I am taking a poetry class and was becoming concerned that there would be no current poets that I could read. Fortunately my class was assigned Maxwell's The Breakage and I found that I could relate to a poet that is still currently writing poetry. Glyn Maxwell is inspiring because he takes subjects that are common (i.e. an old photograph, a family trip, hide and seek) and makes them interesting and entertaining. The ways that Maxwell approaches subjects are creative and he has an incredible ability to see common things in an uncommon way. One of the best examples of this can be found in his poem "An August Monday". In this poem, the speaker is a child who is embarking on a trip with his family. The poet uses common language which allows the reader to really connect with the speaker. The poem is interesting because the poet looks at the trip from a different view. The child does not see the beauty and excitement that his parents see, but instead is bummed out the entire trip because of the slow moving traffic and other various obstacles that prevent the family from enjoying their picnic plans. The poet's use of humor is helpful in that the boy is so serious about his anger but one can't help but laugh at the "awards" that he creates for people who help to ruin his day. The poet has very accurately depicted the thoughts of the boy, which is one of the things that make the poem so humorous. What the boy thinks is just what any child would think in the same situation. Therefore the humor can be found in that the reader is laughing at themselves in a way, laughing at what they probably thought themselves when in a similar situation as a child. Maxwell's poetry is inspirational, not because of its deep meaning or highly intellectual subjects, but because it is easy to read and creates a connection with the reader. I enjoyed The Breakage very much and would highly recommend it anyone who is looking for some great new poetry to read. Glyn Maxwell is now one of my favorite poets and it is comforting to know that he is still around to create more poetry for everyone to enjoy.