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CM . . .
. Volume XXIII Number . . . .February 17, 2017
In The Hobo’s Crowbar, award winning children’s poet JonArno Lawson presents a collection of poetry that’s equal parts clever, honest, moving, nonsensical and powerful. And, in crafting such an expansive collection, he may well change the attitude young readers have towards this literary form.
Playful rhyme and whimsical wordplay may be at the forefront of readers’ minds after a first reading. But, a second and deeper look of The Hobo’s Crowbar will reveal Lawson’s incredible clarity of life. His poignant reflections shatter our individual perspectives and illustrate the larger workings we often don’t see at play. This forced pause is an opportunity to look at the occurrences of life with fresh eyes, making it abundantly clear that there can be more than one way of viewing just about anything.
Accompanying Lawson’s poetry are woodcuts by artist Alec Dempster. Every original woodcut captures the essence of each accompanying poem. Some are as whimsical as the corresponding poem while others, like the one for “You’ll Learn Not to Mind”, are deeply moving. When needed Dempster’s woodcuts bring a greater understanding to Lawson’s words.
The Hobo’s Crowbar holds within its pages a challenge to take a closer look. Dare to do so. Recommended. Inderjit Deogun is a communications professional in Toronto, ON.
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