Review of "Gathered Here Today: An Open Casket of Art and Poetry" from Graveside Press
- Megan Diedericks
- 2 hours ago
- 4 min read
Gathered Here Today from Graveside Press is truly an incredible book!
The poetry is dark and haunting, but at times light-hearted (even amidst the blood and bones).
The art is just as amazing as the writing—so there's something for everyone to stare at and digest!
I find the last line from the last poem in this book (WHAT WAITS BEHIND THE TINY BLACK DOOR – Joshua Dobson) to be very fitting: "Then it opened."
This truly is an open casket of art and poetry to be devoured!
Below is a list (in the order of the TOC) of all the poetry and art that captured my eye, each piece also has a little accompanying review (because I couldn't help myself!)
🖋️ POEMS 🖋️
• THERE'S A COFFIN IN MY PARLOR! – Daniel Gene Barlekamp
Humorous and dark, and the way it cuts off is so creative!
• A REMINDER: – Robin Rose Gavres
So amazing!
• VESSEL – Greg Schwartz
Obsessed with the implication of an unending cycle. Very eerie!
• I'M SORRY, MY DEAR – Rich McFarlin
Grinning by the end of this. Slay! (Literally.)
• THE ZOMBIE CAME BACK – Gregg Chamberlain
Just love the light tone despite the fact that what happens is actually horrific. Very well done! (Rhyme is on point too!!!)
• THE SONG OF THE CORPSE – Kenneth D. Reimer
I love the gory and vivid descriptions, as well as the rhyme!
• WHEN WE WERE VAMPIRES – Stephanie Valente
Need this poem injected into my veins, actually.
• A COLD, WINDSWEPT PLACE – Kurt Newton
Haunting, chilling, so good!
• LAUGHTER AFTER DARK – J.E. Norwood
To me, this read both as a haunting, and being haunted. Multifaceted!!!
• THE PRYING EYE – Jayde Fontana
So much dread, so obsessed with it!
• THE GORGON AT THE END OF THE WORLD – Azure Arther
The endinggg!!! 😭
• WOLVES – Julie LaFond
This twist on the classic Little Red Riding Hood actually made me sick to my stomach (I say this as a compliment. My heart dropped.)
• I THINK I SAW YOU – Sam Muller
Breathtaking.
• BEFORE HE STAYS – Jacqueline K Goldblatt
Truly haunting beyond words!!!
• THE LIGHTHOUSE KEEPER – Gregory M. Thompson
The rhyme is impeccable!
• I AM A HUMAN NESTING DOLL – Ian Bain
Guttural, visceral—literal and figurative. L O V E!
• PLEASE GIVE ME SCISSORS – Krys S Achrem
Undoubtedly one of the best poems I've ever read on grief, suicidal ideation, and not understanding how others are so hush-hush about death. (This is my interpretation of it, at least!)
• DRIP – Anna McCluskey
The second-person narration of this really drove the horror home. I love it!
• CABIN FEVER – Delana Luna
Obsessed with this eerie piece and it's accompanying art!
• & THEY WOULD DIE – Linda M. Crate
Good for her! Love!
• A WINTER OF THE SOUL – John Grey
Deeply in love with this piece, but especially these lines: "It's a time for believing in nothing,
for feeling God's abandonment"
• LITERAL – Hailey Samford
Kept thinking of Thing (any Addams Family adaptation tbh) while reading this, and I KNOW this piece lays emphasis on being literal, but I also like the figurative metaphors that can come forward from the image of having a hand inside your chest 👀
• SHUCK – Odin Meadows
More of that visceralness that I love!
• IS SOMETHING WRONG – Em Arata–Berkel
If I was a poetry-award-giver, this would be the at the top of my list.
• SEE HERE – Corinne Pollard
Ending made me go 😲!!!
• THE NEW CHILDREN – Tehnuka
Shocking, and heartwarming in a twisted way!
• THE EMPTY ROOM – Steve Denehan
Another jaw-dropping ending!!! (The accompanying art is lovely!)
• THE TRAVELER – Stephen A. Roddewig
Masterful poetic storytelling!
• THE HUNGER OF HORACE LEACH – Lance McVay
The poetic justice and dark humor in this is everything!
• THE VISITOR – Darrell Z. Grizzle
Forbidden romance at it's best!
🖌️ ART 🖌️
• The Winter of Our Discontent – Claudia Tong
Very striking, I love how the building is more shrouded than the foreground. So ominous!
• Parasite – Alex Fine
You just need to see this for yourself. (Extra note: Holy Shit. I love it.)
• Devious Dining – Natalia Díaz Jiménez
I want to bite into this piece (respectfully).
• Date Night – Camellia Paul
Adorable! I love how the bats are drawn, and how there's a little bite taken out of the moon!
• Playing Fetch with the Demon Boar – Christopher Collingwood
I love how blackness surrounds it, and the dribble from it's mouth!?! Wow!!!
• Bones Beneath – Miranda Allen
Highkey need this piece tattooed.
• The Abyss – Caterina Minezzi
The eyes among that darkness is done so creatively. LOVE!
• Silence – Red Wallflower
I love how the figure (ghost?) clearly stands out, but somehow simultaneously blends in!
• Guard Your Heart – Nick Dunkenstein
Just obsessed with how this is drawn!!
• Apocalyptic Sun – Dan Verkys
This piece is literally like staring into an apocalyptic sun—in the best way possible.
• Come Open the Door – Tytti Heikkinen
The way the figure looks like a solid marble statue by the head, but the lower you go, the more ghostly it becomes—is something I love!
• The Woods – Ron Perovich
The way the trees shape a skull? Yes, please, and thank you!
