Black Gold

By Mark Pirie

Earl of Seacliff Art Workshop

Reviewed by Hamesh Wyatt

Six years ago, when poet, writer, literary critic, publisher, editor and anthologist Mark Pirie turned 46, he decided to choose 46 new and uncollected poems to honour James K Baxter, who died early at age 46.

Baxter was an early influence on Pirie.

It is great to have something new from this competent, cool poet.

After more than 30 books, Black Gold continues his tradition of producing quality poems.

Pirie uses old tricks, new tricks, puns, paradox, allusion, slang and rhythm.

He writes well.

This little book of just over 100 pages is divided into five sections covering family, friends, poets, developing culture and letting go.

I only read poems I like, confession time.

Of course, that means I read a lot of poems I do not like before I find the ones I do.

Once found I can say “Here they are” and read them myself, simply for pleasure.

Try it.

Pirie writes poems worth reading.

It does not matter if these are “important” poems.

What matters is poems that make me giggle, cry, yawn or sigh.

I love that feeling, “that is it”.

All that matters is the enjoyment, however tragic it may be.

I respond to grief, folly, pretension, excitement, even ignorance.

All of this can be found in Black Gold.

It can be too easy to pull a poem apart.

See what makes it tick: vowels, line breaks, consonants, rhymes and rhythms.

This is craftsmanship.

But a poem cannot be dissected like a frog.

A poem is more like a quest or a journey.

Pirie’s poems are a mystery.

He should be more popular.

Black Gold is a treasure that knows it has holes, gaps, an emotional unease, a sadness, awkwardness and a yearning to get its message out into the world.

It might not be full of laughs but these poems do creep in.

They also flash.

They slide and they thunder in.

Black Gold is full of wonder and celebrates who we are.

This one is worth having, ghosts and all.

Hamesh Wyatt lives in Bluff. He reads and writes poetry.