“’Tis quite beyond the reach of mortal man
To tell another soul what love reveals;
Yet strive we on with high ambitious plan
To be the brave Prometheus who steals
From Heaven’s realm that gift of holy flame
By which to show the meaning of Love’s name.”
- Excerpt from ‘Oh, Who Can Paint’, by CJ Martin
But Tonight, a collection of poems by CJ Martin, is a brilliant first foray into the world of poetry. But Tonight is comprised of six sections, with poems ranging from haikus to love poems to full-length ballads. Martin has a very secure grip on both language and style, and manages to put both into full play with every poem. With such words as ‘gotterdammerung’ and ‘malaise’, this collection is definitely aimed at a more mature audience – or at least one with a fairly wide vocabulary. But the poems themselves deal with a range of subjects, both mature and timeless. From nature to heartache to an ode to the pain in her back, Martin has written something in But Tonight to touch every reader.
My personal favourite section of the book had to be three – the collection of love poems. And not just any love poems, but poems viewing every angle and stage of love. From wondering when love will arrive in ‘Single Girl’s Song’ to reveling in the fire of a lover’s gaze in ‘While Passion Bids’, these particular poems out of the entire collection are guaranteed to hold you.
Says Harold Heft, poet and author of The Shape of This Dying: Remembering Alexander Bercovitch, “CJ Martin writes with energy, confidence and precision in capturing the subtle interplay between the individual and the surrounding. She is fully committed to her craft and to advance the role of poetry in our society – for both these things, she is to be commended.”
But Tonight is available for sale at CJ’s Café in Bronte, or on Amazon.com.
