Shroud of Night
by G. O. Clark
ISBN: 978-1-888993-28-8
Dark Regions Press, 2011
Trade Paperback
60 pages
39 poems
Horror Poetry

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“Beneath the shroud of night hides the darkness within men’s minds.” These are the first words on the back cover of a book of poetry. Would you use poetry to observe and express this peculiar darkness, one that seems to have been reserved for mankind alone? Poetry is a form of writing meant to bring understanding of a particular subject, often in a moment of perfect clarity that I think of as a journey from darkness to light. But when you finally understand this hidden darkness within man’s mind, will you find your way back to the light?

Speculative poet, G. O. Clark, thinks so. In his latest offering, Shroud of Night, Clark sets out to show us some things about that which slithers, creeps, walks undead or comes to life only at night and in a strange parody of those who live in the day. He also demonstrates that one can sometimes look into the darkness and find humour. But mostly Clark shows us terrible things that shouldn’t ever be accepted or forgotten. And this is because the poet has gone digging, peeling back the darkness hanging upon all that he finds, so that we see the endless horrors piled upon our dead children and, at one point, giving us such an intimate look at death herself that some may find it impossible to remove the image from their minds.

Shroud of Night by G. O. Clark is the author’s 9th outing as a speculative poet. He has also published a book of speculative short stories. And while the term “speculative fiction” has become synonymous with the label “science fiction,” Clark is not only that. It seems to me that he may have a love for science fiction, but his questioning nature takes him on the occasional side trip, where he finds himself speculating on whatever lies before him.

The man’s poetry in Shroud of Night is accessible (you don’t have to be a poet to understand and appreciate Clark’s wit and his skill as a poet). The book is just 60 pages or 39 poems long, so the reader should have no problems working his or her way through the offering. But I think the greatest gift left for the reader (who may never consciously recognize it) is the seemingly effortless intertwining of horror and humour, of speculation and observation, that becomes these wonderfully unique poems.

You know, there were enough horrible images created in my mind that I could have come away from Shroud of Night quite disturbed, which is what horror is all about, right? But G. O. Clark saw to it that this did not happen. How? Again, it is humour. He is a master poet, a man who sees and experiences life in a manner different from you and I, but who is also willing to share, and who does share, with one eye on the lighter side of life and the other on these varied definitions we call poems. Humour and Horror: what a blast!

And just in case MY DEFINITION isn’t quite right, I’m giving Mr. Clark 5 Stars.

Copyright, Clayton Clifford Bye, 2011