The Horizon Watcher: The Collected Poetry

From the absurd to the visionary - Enjoy the challenge

Here we have Philip Goddard's entire output of poetry (including several 'poem-stories') - at least, what remains after various extensive purges over the years. They were written from 1973 to 1995.

A stimulating and invigorating set of poetry, in which each poem is some sort of experiment in organising words and language to portray both simple 'physical' pictures and to explore within the processes of the mind itself and often to create visionary experiences out of what underlies or sits between our regular thoughts and imaginings. Surrealism becomes particularly powerful and purposeful in the more 'advanced' poems.

Entrenched, socially inculcated outlooks and beliefs, including religious ones, are held up to critical scrutiny, often being played about with, being looked at in quizzical ways and challenging contexts. Even true hells (of which the Author has much experience and an apparently uniquely deep understanding) are visited, though generally with a certain mischievous sense of humour.

As well as giving an explanatory preface, the Author provides annotations here and there (after the respective poems, so as not to interfere with the reading experience) to explain points that are liable to mystify or confuse many readers, and to add some usefully informative contextual notes.