Gain of Function: One hundred and two poems

This book is a great deal more than the sum of one hundred and two poems. It represents a shift in creative potential which is exactly described by its title: 'Gain of Function', which you may well recognise as a phrase relating to science. However, within the sphere of this book, Gain of Function mostly represents a collision between past and future in which my long-developed ways of working have been hit by enormous positive change and new possibilities - all driven by the advent of social media and the seismic changes in the world of publishing. The very recent work presented in this book is unique amongst my output, because for the first time I was faced with the possibility that whichever poem I was working on, it could be immediately presented to the public, and indeed to the world via social media. This new reality created a completely different working atmosphere. The sudden, tense focus of instantaneous publishing added a whole new factor of concentration, necessary confidence and embedded topicality - specifically the poems dealing with the recent virus and some aspects of politics and the media.

About the Author :
Peter Hague has written most of his life and always returned to it, like it was some sort of duty - a way of explaining the world - or testing it. His five books of poetry, including 'Summer With The Gods', 'Louder Prayers' and 'The Momentary Clock' all display a landmark development of his talent - one defined in a period of re-invention which began to take place around 2016. Also available are 'Gain of Function', which is a collection produced during the febrile atmosphere of the pandemic, and 'Hope in the Heart of Hatred': a 'bridge' between his earlier work and the work he is doing now. A number of other books are in production, encompassing both his exciting current work and a revival of his early output, stretching back to the nineteen-seventies. He has finally decided to concentrate his remaining years on a quest to become a voice in poetry. Throughout the preceding decades Peter Hague was a creative director at a number of design and advertising agencies before going freelance. He has also been known as a digital artist, going by the art name of 'e-brink'. There is an e-brink web site displaying many of his creations. Website: https: //www.peterhague.com Twitter: @PeterHague

Review :
"Peter is influenced by wonderful writers such as T.S. Eliot, Leonard Cohen, Philip Larkin, Emily Dickinson, Anne Sexton, Sylvia Plath, Robert Lowell, Kathleen Raine among others. You can see layers of these great writers in the crust of Peter's writings. They laid down the footprints in sands for him to walk in and seep in what is left of their genius he picks up in his journey." Fevers of the Mind Poetry "Gain of Function" by Peter Hague is a collection of 102 thought-provoking poems. While the poet writes on varied subjects such as nature, the pandemic, relatives, loss, and death, his writing exudes with the theme of humane fragility. One of the poet's strength's is his ability to write about varied subjects while maintaining a philosophical thread about mortality. Yet, these poems are not maudlin, rather, Peter Hague's poetic voice and strength is his philosophical interpretation of reality. Fascinating poetry. This is the first volume of Peter Hague's poetry that I have read, and I intend to read more of his thought-provoking writings. Wendy E. Slater "Peter Hague's poetry collection, "Gain of Function," deserves to be read and re-read. His work is profound, prophetic, and poignant, capturing the fragile essence of life and death throughout. My personal favorite is "The Bridge of Paper Sails." Peter's poems also reflect his adept use of imagery and alliteration: "Where all our souls are set full-sail" (page 114)." Patricia Taylor Wells "I found the quality of poems within to be outstanding and extremely thought provoking. I liked the groups of titles within subtitles. Reading them made me feel like I was on a journey, through Peter's thoughts and experiences. I was left thinking "This is beyond a doubt, the work of a highly skilled writer and poet". I will therefore, highly recommend his work to you." Gary Pollard