Review: Point to Counterpoint by Mel D. Gill

With thoughtful grace and the sage wisdom of a life well-lived, Point to Counterpoint: Poetic Reflections on Life, Love and Passion by poet Mel D. Gill is a remarkable collection of poems spanning a dizzying array of subjects. With a unique structure and intentional interaction with the reader, this book boasts an original presentation from a clearly practiced poet.

Divided into eleven themed chapters, this is not merely a collection of poetry, but also contains small, powerful essays and musings, often supported and bolstered by the wise words of others. In so many collections, poets simply present their work, leaving the vast majority of the sleuthing to readers, but in the case of Gill, he wants his audience to be on the same page as him.

With brief chapter introductions that lay out the winding route of his life, readers are allowed a level of backstage intimacy rarely offered by writers. Each chapter also ends with an anecdotal reflection, “Food for Thought,” which provides clarity and a transition to the next topic.

Aside from the original structure and organization of this collection, there is also the content – boldly honest poems about everything from parenting and love at first sight, to the imminent approach of death, and self-analysis of one’s achievements. As the title of the book implies, Gill does not have a hard and fast answer to life’s biggest questions, and instead prefers to play around with weighty concepts, approaching them from surprising perspectives, offering new angles of thought.

While much of the material is clearly pulled from his own years, there are also more general, philosophical and existential poems that feel more accessible for every reader. Despite having a partner, the love of his life, Gill also celebrates the basic love for existence and small daily pleasures. In Chapter 8, themed “Life’s Little Lessons,” Gill tackles the challenges facing humanity, pushing issues into the light that must be addressed and solved. The poetry vacillates between being a call to action and a celebration, as it has inspiring, reflective, thought-provoking, and romantic elements in equal measure.

In terms of the quality of poetry, there is a bluntness to Gill’s verse that puts poetic imagery slightly on the back burner. The recollection of memories is often declarative, similar to a piece of prose, though the line breaks give the words some rhythm and bounce. The extreme variation in meter and structure of these poems also helps go create different moods, but the lack of vivid imagery is noticeable. The repetition of focal words and unusual choices of enjambment are also distracting, at times, as the line breaks occasionally feel arbitrary. In terms of overall structure, the “Food for Thought” sections at the end of each chapter often include multiple quotes from other thinkers and writers, and narrowing this down into a single, encapsulating quote might give this technique more impact.

When looked at as a complete work, Point to Counterpoint is a wonderful summation of a life – a personality spread on the poetic page, a thorough catalogue of beliefs, with plenty of wisdom for readers to unpack throughout this engaging collection.