Review of "Visions of a New Past: Poems About America," by Bill Chene

Review of

Visions of a New Past: Poems About America, by Bill Chene

Four out of five stars

 While the prose will generally not generate deep feelings in the reader, the subject matter will have you nodding in agreement with the focus. The second poem in the collection is called “Addiction” and is about the attractiveness and addictive qualities of television, from reality shows to game shows to sitcoms. The best segment in the book is found in this poem:

“Please, God,

Grant me the serenity to accept

The reception of channels that I can’t change,

The strength to change what channels I can,

And the wisdom to avoid a mini-series.”

 A great deal of the current climate is summarized in the poem titled “The Revolution Will not be Televised.” The segment:

“And if you think that opium is the opiate of the masses,

You’d better wake up and put on your glasses

Because entertainment, or at least what passes,

Has been taking up the slack.”

Describes the power of modern media and those that play well in that environment.

Published in 2007, the author has predicted the power of Facebook and the modern addiction to our smartphones, where people spend more time looking at that tiny screen than anything else in life. In that case, this is an excellent book of social commentary.