Short Poems, Long Tales by Rashid Osmani

Bridging ideas of science, spirituality, depression, friendship, violence, love for humanity, and much more, Short Poems, Long Tales by Rashid Osmani is a wide-ranging collection of poetry.

Osmani’s poetry addresses some of the biggest questions and most unifying elements of life, examining these topics with almost clinical attention. There is curiosity and uncertainty as well – a humility that makes the verses pleasant, comforting, and authoritative, all at the same time. The modern, free-verse approach allows Osmani to let his thoughts stream without obstacle, and while most of the pieces are quite short, a great deal of intention is packed into each poem.

That said, many of the poems read more like prose with erratic line breaks, and there is a spare use of lyricism in the collection. When metaphors are employed, their meaning is often unclear: “Human life is relatively short / and much of it is wasted / in ugly side roads / with influence wrapped around” – the last line being more a case of confusing imagery than poetic license. There are also a large number of grammatical errors, such as obviously missing words, awkward phrasing, flipped syntax, and misused prepositions.

While the subject matter the poet explores is relatable, and the insight can be thought-provoking, much of this collection is either too straightforward and plainly spoken to constitute poetry, or too convoluted to be properly understood. An increased use of literary devices could help clarify the ideas and messages in this philosophical collection, but it is diverse and unique in its focus.