“It begins with letting him win / allowing him to see what’s within / without knowing if he’s kin.” – Mark Ward, Circumference (2018)

ADMITTEDLY, I have never been a huge modern poetry connoisseur. I appreciate the power poetry has to express human emotion and tell stories more lyrically and fluidly than fiction; still, I’ve not visited this literary form too frequently. I do occasionally dip my toes in the deep waters of the works of Shelley, Keats, and Byron; Gothic Romanticism has always spoken to me. Queer Poetry also occasionally catches my eye. Such is the case here. [Image On Right Is Property of Mark Ward]

Dublin queer poet Mark Ward’s work of emotionally charged poems, Circumference, is fittingly named. The book shows that life is not always lived linearly but often circularly, where we return to the places and people we have loved and lost physically and/or emotionally. Conversations we never wanted to have (or finish) and feelings we never wanted to revisit all have a way of returning to not just haunt but demand attention. Resolution is a state of perception—or acceptance of what you get. 

The main thrust of the collection is that, as the 1950s come to an end, Tommy Martin receives a telegram notifying him of his father’s impending death. After many years away, he returns to his hometown of Pepperell, Massachusetts, where he is subsequently forced to relive his teenage years, reminisce about Mike, the boy he loved, and confront his estranged family.

Circumference is a remarkable collection of poems exploring human life’s complex boundaries, particularly in times of emotional strife. The book focuses on the nuances and tensions that arise from the characters’ interactions, especially the narrator, Tommy, a queer man. As stated, Tommy is compelled to return to his hometown as his father is on his deathbed, and this return triggers a harrowing confrontation with his mother, who has never come to terms with Tommy’s sexual orientation. Then, Tommy’s memories of Mike, his first love, have also partially shaped aspects of his character through his intimate relationship with love and loss.

These poems are powerful, expertly navigating the emotional landscape of love, grief, loss, and family. Like all poignant poetry collections, the reader is taken on a journey that sticks with them long after the book is read and put away on a shelf; it did for me.

Ward’s collection of poems offers a glimpse into distinct, emotionally resonant and thought-provoking timelines. One where two teenage boys fall deeply in love with each other despite the odds against them. Their love is passionate, intense, and heartbreakingly beautiful. Another where an adult queer man returns to the town he once called home, a town that had rejected him years ago, and confronts the painful memories of his past. Mark Ward’s Circumference is artfully crafted, queer, and profoundly moving.

Circumference is available for purchase online at amazon.ca, amazon.com & barnesandnoble.com. For more information about this author, follow Mark Ward on Instagram and Facebook. Also, check out his website!