I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Author and poet Stephen Pollock take readers on a journey to discover the root of mortality in the book “Exits”.

The Synopsis

Stephen C. Pollock’s debut collection, Exits, nods to the literary traditions of years past while simultaneously speaking to the present moment. Multilayered and musical, the poems in Pollock’s “Exits” (Windtree Press, June 29, 2023) have drawn comparisons to the work of Eavan Boland and Seamus Heaney. With bold imagery, attention to form, and a consistent throughline rooted in the theme of mortality, his collection responds to contemporary anxieties surrounding death and the universal search for meaning in life’s transience.

The Review

This was a compelling and moving read. The poetry was brilliant, each poem evoking a sense of powerful and gripping imagery that explores our connection to nature and our role in keeping it safe, while also delving into the idea of our own mortality and how the issues facing our world, such as war and disease, are impacting both nature and man’s mortality greatly.

The imagery and atmosphere the poems were able to achieve were greatly enhanced due to the author’s ability to infuse nature and the natural world as a whole into each poem, capturing the raw emotion and philosophical discussion that these themes bring out in us all. The passion and heart with which the author wrote these poems will speak to readers who not only enjoy poetry but poems that bring out the almost lyrical and relatable words we say and feel every day and yet rarely are able to put into practice. 

The Verdict

Heartfelt, captivating, and engaging, author Stephen Pollock’s “Exits” is a must-read book of poetry. The succinct yet thoughtful approach to each poem and the moving words that brought this collection to life really will hit the reader in the heart, and the range of topics, from the passing of a loved one to toothpaste, will speak to both the mundane and valuable moments in life we take for granted, and yet need to remember. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

About the Author

Stephen C. Pollock is a recipient of the Rolfe Humphries Poetry Prize and a former associate professor at Duke University. His poems have appeared in a wide variety of literary journals, including “Blue Unicorn,” “The Road Not Taken,” “Live Canon Anthology,” “Pinesong,” “Coffin Bell,” and “Buddhist Poetry Review.” “Exits” is his first book.

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GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/125651368-exits