Solving the World's Problems

by Robert Lee Brewer

The "World" in Robert Lee Brewer's Solving the World's Problems is a slippery world ... where chaos always hovers near, where we are (and should be) "splashing around in dark puddles." And one feels a bit dizzy reading these poems because (while always clear, always full of meaning) they come at reality slantwise so that nothing is quite the same and the reader comes away with a new way of looking at the ordinary objects and events of life. The poems are brim-full of surprises and delights, twists in the language, double-meanings of words, leaps of thought and imagination, interesting line-breaks. There are love and relationship poems, dream poems, poems of life in the modern world. And always the sense (as he writes) of "pulling the world closer to me/leaves falling to the ground/ birds flying south." I read these once, twice with great enjoyment. I will go back to them often. -Patricia Fargnoli, former Poet Laureate of New Hampshire and author of Then, Something

Genres: Poetry

92 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2013

Reviews

[C. Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

I took my time reading Solving the World's Problems, like eating only one mini-candy bar a day, so I could enjoy it and thoroughly taste it. The title is so appropriate. The problems are large, small, and about topics we don't often speak of, but they are relatable to Everyman. Very pleasant read. Nicely done, Robert.

[Jennifer Chow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Robert Lee Brewer uses razor-sharp imagery, expressive line breaks, and language twists to convey profound meaning in his poetry. Certain themes run throughout this collection: the sense of time elapsing, the complexity of love relationships, and the effect of new technology. His first poem talks about "what's more important/ writing a poem/ or building a bridge." Both, it seems. This collection of poems will show you how we need words to sustain us and build us up.

Brewer examines topics in a new light, like in "you origami me," where he says: "fold me into animal shapes/ and hold me like paper/ you don't want to tear." He has a refreshing way of seeing everyday life and things. In "portrait of an early morning couple," he uses language to surprise us, with "he studies her face/ before punching/ his fist into his leg." Then there's just the beauty of the words, as in "the moon a deflated balloon/ the stars mere punctuation marks" with the poem, "discovery." His style is evocative of William Carlos Williams, each poem deceptively simple, with spare but striking prose that ultimately unveils layers of wisdom.

[Elizabeth Nichols · Rating 4 out of 5]

Robert Lee Brewer's treatment of the problems of the world through fantastic complimentary and juxtaposing images range from not just the hefty problems of the world, like hunger or peace, but also the day to day problems in the inner worlds of people.

A perfect example is the poem "you origami me." The poem describes a common metamorphosis: the lover changing to suit his love. In the particular metaphor at work in the poem, the lover is compared to a piece of origami paper, folded over and over again to please his love. There is also the complimentary metaphor of the lover depositing money in to his love's “account” of him so as to withdraw love. The lover accepts this relationship dynamic: “fold me as you will.” However, there is a dark undercurrent and complexity at work in the poem. The lover says, “i'm not a wolf save when / that's the only way you'll bend me.” Underneath the heart of the complacent lover, lies a warning: beware what shape you choose to fold me into. The inner world of this relationship matters. It matters as much as writing a poem or making a chair, as living in a myth and being afraid of the answer, and as heeding the words of the professors and poets but giving into baser needs.

It matters because with "Solving the World's Problems" Brewer proves that in order to change the world, we first have to understand ourselves.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed interacting with the poems prompted by Robert's Poetic Asides blog challenge @ Writer's Digest

[R. Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books of poetry I've read all year. I recommend it to anyone.