Impspired Title

REFLECTIONS IN A DIRTY MIRROR

by TONY DAWSON

Tony Dawson’s latest collection of poems and short fiction is largely written in response to our gloomy global prospects. As he concludes his witty poem based on Morse Code, “A Signal Failure”: “Morse…Remorse…Life…a signal failure.” Doesn’t get much more gloomy than that! Trump, Putin, Netanyahu - the usual world-historical culprits call the shots (“The end of democracy is nigh,” Dawson warns in “A No Brainer”). The plight of the homeless, memories of the London Blitz during World War Two, hapless bureaucracies and corrupt politicians: they all smudge the mirror. On the other hand, Dawson’s heartfelt poems to his wife, Janet, offer some sense of redemption. Indeed, putting it all in perspective, Dawson writes in “An Anniversary Love Poem for My Wife”: “Of all these major historical events, / you may well have guessed / that MEETING YOU, MY LOVE / stands out from all the rest.” And his characteristic wit in pieces like “Homophone” and “How to Spin a Yarn” likewise offset the cynicism with humor. Reflections in a Dirty Mirror is an enjoyable read no matter how you look at it. Readers may see themselves shown back in Dawson’s vision. Charles Rammelkamp, author of The Trapeze of Your Flesh.