Review: ‘Bone House’ by Scott Laudati
Gettysburgian media critic Jackie McMahon
By Jackie McMahon, Staff Writer
“maybe the buffalo jumped the cliff for fun,
left their bleached white skulls in the pits
looking up.
they’re hidden until the thaw.
that’s when you’ll find them grinning
with the spring bloom.
don’t worry,
eventually
we all shiver
in the sun.”
This is just one of the many exquisite lines from ‘Bone House’, the second collection of poetry by New York based author Scott Laudati, whose previous works include the poetry collection ‘Hawaiian Shirts in the Electric Chair’ and his debut novel ‘Play The Devil.’
The poems included in ‘Bone House’ cover a wide array of topics, from past love to lost innocence, from childhood hope to adult disillusionment, from life in New York to the American suburbs. Despite the different subject matters, the poems flow together seamlessly thanks to Laudati’s well defined voice.
Laudati is a keen observer of the world and people around him who he describes in detail via the use of effective word choice and original metaphors, and he perfectly captures the successes and failings of not only the modern world but also of himself. His prose is poignant and hard-hitting, describing the hope and promise of youth and young love,
as well as the cynicism and disillusionment that comes with growing up in a society which is frequently unfair.
‘Bone House’ boldly confronts relevant issues like racism (“an everyman.”), mental illness (“coast to coast.”), or drug addiction (“he was never one for conversation.”) Other poems are humorous, like “buying cocaine for **** *******” or “what is this?”, but no matter the tone, they are always extremely socially relevant. Laudati’s work is honest and unflinching, and reflective of the struggles and triumphs of this generation.
‘Bone House’ is published by Bone Machine Books and available for purchase on Amazon.
