With sixty poems partitioned into a dozen thematic groupings (such as “Wanting,” “Finding,” and “New York”), John Kerl’s BREVITY offers readers a first-hand glimpse into the evolution of a writer. Featuring entries ranging from the late eighties to today, Kerl’s work literally spans decades. The poems in this collection are a testament to Kerl’s keen, lifelong observational skills and his ability to infuse ordinary moments with profound significance.
One of the collection’s strengths lies in its ability to capture the passage of time and the evolution of relationships. Whereas many of the earliest poems utilize metaphor and evocative imagery, Kerl’s later work adopts a more personal, candid (and occasionally self-effacing) tone, thus capturing a transformation that most adults will recognize in their own adolescence. For instance, the contemplative mood displayed in 1990’s “Porchlight” invites the reader to step into a “fine, chill night rain / of dark drops that fell almost unnoticed.” 2023’s “Riverside,” on the other hand, confidently unfolds like an anonymous journal entry, detailing how “weekends turn into hiking” where the “air is cool and clean / and kind.”
Each and every entry (or, according to Kerl, “snapshot”) is affecting on its own; but when taken as a whole, a subtle evolution of spirit begins to emerge. Nowhere is this effect more pronounced than during “Meteor Shower.” Comprising six poems written between 1991 and 2022, what begins as the romantic rumination of an “eager acolyte of the rational tradition” concludes with a nostalgic reflection on “lifespans overlapping just a bit in time, / personalities intersecting at the occasional inside joke / and the way-back-when memories / and some shared hopes.”
For his part, Kerl’s poetry is consistently arresting, regardless of the year. As one might expect from the title, the author’s language is as evocative as it is precise. While free verse is Kerl’s form of choice, much of this collection adopts a surprisingly meditative cadence. For instance, the following stanzas (from “Under stars at night”) quickly settle into a rhythm when read aloud: “A teenage couple lingers in the cone of a street light, / embracing at the curb, the car door standing open / Their date is over but their evening is not — / not just yet.”
Where a novelist typically sets out to tell a story, the motivations of a poet are rarely so linear. There’s little here to further frame Kerl’s work, save for a closing (and wholly unnecessary) “apology” to readers: “While any story may be told at tenfold length, and perhaps thereby diminished, I think poetry should stand on its own merits.” To that point, BREVITY succeeds at distilling a lifetime of moments into succinct and potent expressions of human experience. What constitutes excellent poetry may forever be up for debate; but, regardless of the chosen definition, BREVITY is a shining example of the medium.
With sixty entries written over decades, John Kerl’s BREVITY is a stunning collection of poetry that is sure to resonate with anyone who has ever pondered the enduring mysteries of love, loss, and the passage of time.
~James Weiskittel for IndieReader