Museum Exhibit by Tom Brown

Experimenting with form, content, and emotion, Museum Exhibit by Tom Brown is a surprising, probing collection that runs the gamut from classical odes to modern free verse.

Some of these delicately penned poems resemble snapshot musings of cultures and older times from around the world, flowing smoothly between the Middle East examined in “Pashmina,” to the simple homage of “Philadelphia Highboy,” and the sound of “Virginia’s Violin” in the echoing beauty of the Shenandoah Valley.

Nature, emotion, and philosophy also blend freely in these pieces, as in the poet’s natural worship in “Wildflowers,” with their “exquisite fine art perfuming in the sun,” and the symbolic, multi-layered confession of “Seeds of Love.” The occasional poem about lost love, longing, and existential angst are paired with simpler thoughts like the basic pleasure brought on by a cup of tea, as in “Brown Sugar.”

Unexpected bursts of experimental formatting give the collection a modern, unpredictable feel, coupled with the slang, colloquialism, and direct speech present in various poems, which seem to burst through the page with vitality and urgency. Individually, the poems are striking and memorable, but their ordering, at times, feels somewhat random and jarring. Breaking the collection into specific sections may help with these issues in continuity and mood-setting. Additionally, while rhyming is the exception, those poems that attempt more traditional forms have occasional issues with meter, slant rhyme, forced enjambment, or awkward word choice.

That said, Brown’s poetic eye has a broad range, from playful and self-aware to analytical and poignant, making this collection a thought-provoking pleasure.