Review of "Grant's Little Read Book of Poetry"

Grant Peeples, songwriter, singer, and now poet, writes in soul-blood upon the pages of Grant's Little Read Book of Poetry with love, and anger. He does not mince words, but throws in double handfuls “along the roadsides of convention, and medians of mediocrity,” his disdain and hope.

In “Mowing down the Wild Flowers,” he writes:

In stagnant ditches or in dry and rocky washes,

    they may volunteer to thrive,

to dance in the shadows of lampposts, road signs and

    power wires,

and to wave a proud little glory that’s

indifferent to the insults

    of all that trashed contempt

    scattered there amongst the innocent

    rot of road kill

Gritty and raw, Grant’s poetry scrapes through thin public veneers to eviscerate the reader and force them to take notice. In “The New Southern Tableau,” he states:

Beyond the town,

    where once there was a woodland,

    now grows in rows

    the slash pine fields

    of future 2 x 4s and toilet paper;”

Each word is this slim book counts, holds weight, and paints pictures that fascinate. Inside the front cover of Grant's Little Read Book of Poetry, nests a compact disk with Grant reading his own poems, so the reader has options – read – listen – or both at the same time. I enjoyed this small book in all the above ways, but prefer listening to Grant interpret his art.

There is some foul language, so if it offends you, don’t read it, but you will miss out on a true North Florida artist. Peeples’ poetry is like the sweetest water, and bitterest lemon, smooth and rough, and filled with passion. Forty-three pages are not enough, and I sincerely hope this is not Grant’s last book of poetry.

You can purchase Grant’s Little Read Book of Poetry by visiting his web site: www.grantpeeples.com, or purchasing it directly from him at any of his concerts. Information regarding Peeples’ concerts is available at www.grantpeeples.com, and at http://www.reverbnation.com/grantpeeples.

Having read this book several times, I feel like the last section in his poem, “The Well.”

Then I was done.

    And that one small sip?

        Well, I can taste it yet,

            and will

            beyond.”

Imagining the possibilities,

Peggy