Parentheses

by Cody Draco

"Parentheses" is the resulting work of a poet still at the very height of their craft, albeit on the verge of abandoning it altogether. American writer Cody Draco previously penned four poetry collections reaching a creative summit with his defining collection "Nobody is Looking for Who I Used to Be". Since then, he has pivoted to writing fiction, but not before churning out one more collection of poetry. The poems here exist within the metaphorical parentheses, a.k.a shadow, that follows his former creative success and are subsequently able to exist outside of and defy any expectation. Raw, emotive, and unflinching are terms that continue to be apt descriptors of the work he creates. Poems such as "The Summer Before Brokeback Mountain", "In Memory of Mathew Shepard", and "Continuity" explore how cultural and historical figures influence personal identity and experiences. Other poems such as "Parentheses" and "Age Gap" focus on the personal evolution that results from relationships, while "Naked at Heart" explores the broader influence of external sources on self-expression.

31 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 25, 2024