Poetry collection review: Rain (2009) by Don Paterson.

Today I am reviewing the poetry collection Rain (2009) by author of the month, Don Paterson. Rain is a beautiful collection that I found a joy to read. I love how different genres of poetry sit within this collection and how they all fit perfectly with what Paterson is trying to tell. We have 'Renku: My Last Thirty-Five Deaths' which as it states, is a Renku. For anyone wandering a Renku is often a thirty-six stanza Japanese collective poem made up of linked stanzas that are usually fourteen or seventeen syllables within the stanza. Each stanza alternates the number of lines, often being two or three lines. Don Paterson's Renku works in this genre whereas other poems would not necessarily work in that genre. Take another poem such as 'Phantom' on the other hand. This is an elegy in memory to Michael Donaghy, a poet and Don Paterson's friend. The whole collection was in fact a dedication in memory to him. The tone and style of the poem 'Phantom' allow for it to be elegy. These are just two of the poems where the genre matches the tone of voice and message being conveyed to the reader.

'Phantom' is a much more personal poem and I love how Paterson has varied his poems from the personal to the not so personal.  The other thing that I really loved was how Paterson has used rhyming. Sometimes I read poetry and find that too much rhyming can get tedious or feel dated. However, here Don Paterson uses rhyme cleverly and it makes his poems engaging. The rhymes never overshadow any of his poems but instead they help bring the poems more alive. For me, his poem 'Rain' is a good example of this and it is actually a favourite poem of mine from the collection.

Overall, this a collection of truthfulness, reflection and deep thoughts. I loved it a lot and cannot wait to read more Don Paterson. I am giving this an 8/10.

Until next time,

Thomas.