Misty Mirrors

Soroqu%C3%A8re%E2%80%99s book of poems muses over a long lifetime of memories set in far-flung corners of the world. At each place and moment in time, chaos threatens%E2%80%94smashing up against serene order or pulling aside the veil of humanity%E2%80%99s constructed reality to reveal the oblivion from which we came and whence we%E2%80%99ll return. Negative events such as cyclones and floods create the nihilistic pulse that throbs throughout this book. However, optimism does abound; there are sparkling, uplifting moments of beautiful clarity for the reader to grasp, e.g. the way %E2%80%9C[t]he sun shines through the/ diaphanous mist,%E2%80%9D or the way %E2%80%9C[t]he hibiscus flower offers passers-by a drop of rain/ pure as a tear.%E2%80%9D While the author%E2%80%99s verse is vivid and thought provoking, the book%E2%80%99s structure and layout is lacking. Only a handful of the poems are titled. Line breaks seem haphazard and margins squeezed. This results in an oddly clunky layout that undermines the poet's words. Still, the fascinating subject matter and philosophical musings are a saving grace.