Review of Open Spirit
Book Review by Joyce Metzger
OPEN SPIRIT
by Travis Catsull
2000; 44pps; pa; Tsunami Inc., PO Box 100,
Walla Walla, WA 99362
$5.00
Travis Catsull was born in Texas in 1975. At the time of the
publication of “Open Spirit,” he published the literary ‘zine, “Haggard
and Halloo” and was the assistant editor of “The Temple.” Travis
dedicates word images to troubadours of family.
The titles for Travis Catsull’s poems and prose are thought
provoking images: Ode to Gray-Blue Jewish Lady; The Last Poem About My
Purple Eye; Lennird’s Lawn Service Gone Global; The Lock Pick Kit;
Wanted: Stuffed Coyote.
One quick glance at these titles whets curiosity,sharpens mind, entices
a reader forward.
–The Blue Universe–
In the blue universe/The Older the body gets
the nastier it seems./I’m sick of mine at 24
Who’s to say we don’t roam the desert
With cakes of sun sliding down the blades of a windmill
over/corn town,/play ground
ocean drowned blue
crawling through the Blue Universe grey and freakish.
I thought I was the only magician in town
When she disappeared inside me
But a moth in love with a fire fly
Will always be a tracer behind
A shadow rippling across the floor
Like the tombstone of a stillborn child
Small and powerful,
Cold in the spine of whispers.
This is powerful imagery from a quicksilvered polychromatic power
house who can generate electrified influences as words wield even more
inspiration. Lagging imagination soars and the doors of mind swing
open to unthought of before images. Some of these words are so unique
they should be carved upon mahogany mastheads.
–The Wind Is Ending–
With a sharp hour hand I stabbed a hole through the day
just to watch it sink, a scream-mist
like a broken battleship
laying on it’s side like a dead cow
in a meadow
(of tall white wheat)
where ghost boys
fly ghost kites
on the extra gusts of wind,
they circle
the cow, the boat
I like it! These words work overtime!
–Lennird’s Lawn Service Gone Global–
I have dreams of helicopters made of cigarettes
and liquid latex (wa-(wa)(wa, igniting the candles ’round
firewalking/cavemen…
blades on the ceiling listen to me upside down
and the furthest word i’ve begun
is green
Order this book from Tsunami Inc. Charles Potts will wing
it to you quickly. You can spend a day, a week-end, or a month
devouring these images. Bravo to the uniqueness of the photo on the
rear cover also, entitled: A Princess of Mine. And she is indeed!
Copyright 2002 Joyce Metzger
> stormey@sunline.net
>
>
> NOTE: Charles if Travis has e-mail please send a copy of this
> review to him. Very enjoyable book! Joyce
>
Killer imagery! Can I still order this book at the Walla Walla P.O.? Still just 5 bucks? If so I’m mailing it Friday when I get paid. Thanks!