The Singers I Prefer

by Christian Barter, Sydney Lea

Trained as a musician and composer, Barter’s poems are driven by the rhythm and lyricism, punctuated with occasional dissonances that startle the reader with profound perceptions hidden within deceptively straightforward “melodies.” Whether exploring the misadventures of youth or the petty defeats of encroaching middle age, Barter evokes the bittersweet feeling of being “sad in the deep-sweet way/that gods are sad for all that will/never be.”

Genres: Poetry

88 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2005

Reviews

[Erica · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this more. Certain lines portrayed intensity of feeling and an understanding of the unknown, but most of the time I felt like I was reading odd lines about the wonders of being young and having sex with women with a random f-word thrown in. Really did love certain lines, but most went past me.

[rather_b_reading · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lovely collection of poems, mostly drawing off of historical allusions and thoughts about the way we live our daily lives.