Poetry Basket Review

Hello Poetry Lovers

Welcome back to the Poetry Basket Review. This week we take a good look at a welcome return for Ray Pool and his enigmatic new collection Hopscotch.

Hopscotch

by Ray Pool

The title alone sums up this eclectic collection by prolific poet Ray Pool. Hopscotch was a game with hidden intricacies, deceptively simple with a complex subtext. The same applies to the canny sharp pieces inside this immaculate white glossy book.  This nostalgic and iconic game is effectively illustrated on the front.   

Let’s get into Ray Pool’s Aston Martin as he takes us to many enticing subheadings with this apt and clever collection. So many pieces jump out at the reader, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. The Shorts section holds the title piece, along with witty limericks, haikus, and other vibrant humorous shorts. Including the subject of Christine in Virginalia’. We’re with her all the way!  

We stop the car to embrace the heading Reflections on a Life in Music, we feel the poet really comes into his own and excels. The terrific account of Tommy Cooper, and the lesser known Tommy Bruce are endearing – and hilarious.  Plus the Mother of Invention himself, An Evening With Frank Zappa is full of amazing details. I love the stark structure of all these pieces. 

So we get back in Ray’s car and journey along to colourful sections like Trains of Thought. By Back Door across the Moor geographically details West London, particularly the hallowed West Drayton (happy memories there) and this poet does not spare any details.   Early Beginnings And Family Affairs…gives us poignant revelations with Aunt Georgie and her splendid possessions in Revelations. A Meeting of Minds is simply touching. Light and Bitter All Hallows on Sea will incur urges in us all to get to the English coast.  

We park the car at a personal favourite, the wistful and witty My Usherette that conveys a faded glamour. Staying on a cinema theme, Living at the Astoria is irresistible, a bittersweetness of glorious institutions long gone. Lost and Gone Forever gives us staples of Saturday night television and their stars, Val Doonican particularly strikes a chord.  Que Sera Sera is reflective and humorous.  

We drive to Strange Tales and pick up The Ballad of Bertie Bassett And The Bisto Kids, with a mention to Benny Hill that is hilarious. It simply just has to be read. Let’s Get Serious is an absorbing heading, with the detailed Playing Your Cards , and Suicide by Text and East End Welcome.  Dark writing tinged with matching humour. 

We park up by the most significant chapter COVID. There are clever twists in Lockdown Funeral and The Famous Five Go On The Warpath.  The latter piece very updated indeed.  

An impressive and clever collection. Can we go round again, Ray, please?! Before you drop us off at my Robin Reliant!

To treat yourselves to a super collection, please email Ray himself on raypool@live.co.uk

Thanks for tuning in, PL’s. More poetry action real soon….