Nocturne: Poems of Love, Distance, and the Night, a callous and disinterested lover by Phil Slattery is a deep and raw “picture” of experiencing love and lovers of varying type, capturing the moments of ecstasy and pain in a most beautiful way.

Slattery speaks with one voice as his words and pictures depict the full range of human love and loss that both tempts the soul to engage and urges the heart to resist. His opening quote by Augustine of Hippo captures this work perfectly:

“I was not yet in love, yet I loved to love…I sought what I might love, in love with loving.”  –Augustine of Hippo

The poems are mostly untitled and written in free verse form. The reader meanders through the past relationships as they ebb and flow through varying stages. The introduction poem tells of the types of poem you will soon encounter:

nights of love

full of life and laughter

as empty as an empty

bottle

*Slattery, Phil. Nocturne: Poems of Love, Distance, and the Night, a callous and disinterested lover. Phil Slattery. Kindle Edition.

The poem closes:

Bring me to that ultimate pleasure

in your all-consuming eyes.

Let us become one

and share the horrors of this

world

*Slattery, Phil. Nocturne: Poems of Love, Distance, and the Night, a callous and disinterested lover. Phil Slattery. Kindle Edition.

All in all, Nocturne, is a beautiful but sad read that speaks to the reality of love and holds nothing back. It engages the mind and the heart longing for lasting, meaningful love that always seems just outside of its reach.

I recommend buying (or borrowing through Kindle Unlimited) this sincere and vulnerable book of poetry available now on Amazon for only $2.99.

Follow Phil Slattery’s blog here for more information on his latest books and works: Phil Slattery’s Blog.