Droll musings from a compassionate poet: Review of Michael Sharkey 'Another Fine Morning in Paradise' 5 Islands Press, Melbourne 2012. ISBN 978-0-7340-4745-8 Pb 100pp AUD24.95

Abstract

First, a disclaimer: Michael Sharkey is a friend and former colleague. When I first came to the University of New England, Michael's office was directly opposite mine. We shared both jokes and tales of woe in the early mornings before the other members of the School had yet to appear in the corridors and tearoom. When he retired, my mornings were greyer, a little less delightful. I missed his erudite words and ironic tone. Fortunately, I can console myself with 'Another Fine Morning in Paradise', a collection of poems that brings Sharkey's droll wit into sharp focus. But it is not only wit on show. As a colleague, Sharkey was always a pedant, and the precision of his poetry hones both the irony and satire. For example, in 'A double abecedary on tertiary teaching' he collects those early morning groans about lazy students we once shared and constructs a 26-line grumble with laughs. The wizardry of the verse almost obscures the poem's careful construction. Each line commences with letters in descending alphabetical order, while ending with letters in ascending order. For me, seeing such contrivances work is a delight, and testimony to Sharkey's skill and mastery of poetic techniques. The book, a collection of poems previously published in a wide range of journals and publications, is organised into two parts: times out of mind; and life in common.