Time Seals All Tombs
September 7th 2011 00:30
Author: Shane Andrewartha
Book Title: Time Seals All Tombs
Book Title: Time Seals All Tombs
The book, 'Time Seals All Tombs' by Shane Andrewartha, created through Blurb.com comes in a thin, hard cover, square picture book style that could almost be mistaken as a children's book. However, unless you want your kids taken away from you, I wouldn't recommend it to one as this ain't no children's book! Andrewartha is apparently both a poet and a metal head. The book contains a dark element with smoking, bad-ass skeletons and other abstract and symbolic illustrations. I was a little disappointed with the limited heavy metal content, but hey, what can you do? The book's title is an obvious reference to the phrase, 'time heals all wounds' and the front picture is of two old-fashioned wooden doors with ancient door knockers that look gargoyle-like. The back of the book has the following verse:
an unfinished thought
niggling and nibbling
at the edges of conscientiousness
overcoming the daunting black canvas
tipping the balance
materialising
propagating
for its own sake
for its own evolution
its own struggle for existence
niggling and nibbling
at the edges of conscientiousness
overcoming the daunting black canvas
tipping the balance
materialising
propagating
for its own sake
for its own evolution
its own struggle for existence
By this stage, I've realised that the poetry is going to be an impressionistic style of short fleeting thoughts with dark imagery. Words like 'unfinished thought' and 'struggle for existence' remind me of themes of growing up. Andrewartha uses imagery of a 'black canvas' as if he were an artist and words of 'evolution' as if he were a scientist or perhaps Darwin himself. Below the verse is a simple illustration of a ghoulish figure holding and contemplating a halo in one hand and a pitchfork in the other. Its religious significance serves as a precursor to the religious themes that are in some of the poems inside the book.
The wooden doors on the cover are unlocked and I am ready to flinch away at some angsty poetry as I begin. Surprisingly, it starts off with something a little more positive that I felt was about savouring good times and taking inspiration whenever possible. After this, we dwell into the poet's mind. It feels like a diary of a writer's thoughts; a description of growing up, writers block, being afflicted by problems, nameless things being taken away and how we are shaped from these things. There is one page that sounds like a rowdy heavy metal gig. There are thoughts on religion, some which I thought to be Greek and Egyptian and also some references to science. The last two pages are simple words about desire and love.
I must admit that I have not written much in the way of poetry, except when I am sleepwalking or drunk (if broken English counts) and this is the first time I have attempted to review poetry. But from what I have read of poetry in general, the one thing I like about it is how image-provoking and open to interpretation it can be. It’s up to the reader to take the ideas and imagery and interpret it by one's own ideals and experiences. The reader can find themselves within a description, a sentence or even a repeated word and hit upon some sort of self-discovery or epiphany. Novels and films have this affect on me but it takes much longer; a series of events that afflict a character and how that character reacts or changes, can be mirrored in our own lives or of the lives around us and can give us a new perspective, or reaffirm our way of life and why we do what we do.
While this book makes me feel like I should go and learn stuff about poetry, its words and illustrations are too dark and angsty which is not really my cup of tea. The fleeting thoughts and random verses jump from one topic to another, too short for me. I prefer more physical subject matter and description in my reading. Still, there is variety and references to some pretty interesting stuff; art, writing, history, religion, different cultures, angst and the struggle within. All bound within 30 odd pages in hard cover.
If you like your poetry short and dark and to have a splash of everything, then you might like the musings in this book. 'Time Seals All Tombs' is available as an e-book for free through iTunes and http://tinyurl.com/timetomb and also available through blurb.com.
All Mystic Metal readers have a chance to receive a 20% discount on purchase of this book. Simply click HERE and enter the code: ADBLURB to receive your 20% discount which is valid until the end of the year.
Review by Jaimey Foti © 05 September 2011
All pictures courtesy of Shane Andrewartha
All pictures courtesy of Shane Andrewartha
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