'The Momentary Clock' is Peter Hague's fifth book of outstanding poetry. Once again, he takes full control of the whole canopy that his work becomes - each book a soul-searching work of art that reveals another side of this talented indie author. His various books could be described popularly as concept albums in poetry, but there is much more to it than that - they are more like a rigorous test of broad faith or an aerial of extended thought, always tuned into the rich plethora of common simplicity that is caught in the eye and the mind of living. They become relentless pictures of experience and inspiration; there is also an occasional sense of good humour at work.
As usual, there is no leaning toward any political association or religious following, yet thoughts on all these important human tendencies continue to be observed and flow through his work. Sometimes it is a genuine search for truth and understanding and other times a careful examination of the inherent wrongs that dogmatic or idealistic thinking can lead the human condition to embrace. Many of his important observations are illustrated through personal narratives.
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 various 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, such as 'The Laments of the Soul'. 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 in becoming a lasting voice in the pageant of poetry.
Review :
Beautiful Imagery and Profound Observations
The beautiful imagery and observations in "The Momentary Clock" are mesmerizing, profound, and powerful. As stated in Peter Hague's words in "Notes on Gardening," his poems are like "gardening at its best," wherein "the truth of (each) poem steps out of its frame," as noted in "Clockwork Poems." Peter does not shy away from addressing sensitive issues, causing us to pause and reflect on how the loss of matters like freedom of speech can prevent our disagreements from "eventually 'cooling' into a settlement of peace."
Several of the poems in this collection were written in memory of someone. "Comfort Poem at Sea" beautifully describes the agony that the poet Hart Crane must have felt when he jumped off the stern of a steamship: "Can you not just see I want to sleep? Let the weight of words carry me down and deep." Another interesting time-shaped poem is "Head Shot," a haunting portrayal of President John F. Kennedy, who was caught between a life of privilege and early death.
Peter describes cave drawing as the earliest form of a clock and defines each moment of "The Momentary Clock" as "an act, or a poem, or a joy;" in essence, all the little moments that make up our lives. Another favorite poem is "The Isolation of Walls and Universal Spaces," which speaks of "the minute seconds that make our clocks unique."
The poem that most captured my attention was the one I opened first as if by design, "The Death of My Brother." Having also lost my brother many years ago, I felt my face flooded with tears as I read, "you did not deserve to die tethered to a bed of tubes and ignorance." And, of course, the same is true for the ending poem of this collection, "Brothers Beyond Reach."
Other poems deserve mentioning, but perhaps the final statement I would like to offer is that it was a pleasure to read Peter Hague's use of beautiful language and his ability to share his deepest thoughts without marring them with the display of profanity that is common today. "The Momentary Clock" is an excellent work of art.
Patricia Taylor Wells
