Fault Lines Review – Sam Rose/Peeking Cat Poetry Magazine
Feb 2017 (Iss 22)

Fault Lines, and this 2016 collection published by Winter Goose tackles
the big issues in the world today – war, terrorism, politics, and homelessness,
to name a few. And although at first the subject matter may sound a little grim,
the poetry is so polished and satisfying to read. My personal favourite is
‘Symphony of the City’, which is the first poem in the book, and beautifully
describes the sounds of urban life.

Not only do the poems in this collection highlight the ‘fault lines’ of our
modern world, but in doing so they serve to make the reader more aware of
current events, and they can inspire the reader to do something to make a
change – however small. And yes, we are all already aware of what’s going on
in the world – war overseas, violence in our own countries, and crime taking
place in our own local communities. But how much attention do we really pay
to the news, and how desensitised have we become to it? If this is all the ‘new
normal’, perhaps we need a wake-up call to remind us that this shouldn’t be
our normal, that the world could be a much better, safer place, and that we
should never stop trying to make it so.

Sure, if you’re looking for a lighter read this might not be the right book to pick
up. But in a world of fake news and alternative facts, if you’d prefer to read
something that’s honest and forthright but written creatively and poetically,
this is for you.