In the Realm of the Barren Queen
Arnold Skemer
Chapbook, 32 pages, $8.00
In the Realm of the Barren Queen is Arnold Skemer at his finest, “encased in the enigmas of time and place”* in this case, the borough of Queens, New York. The history and physical presence of Queens provides ample symbols for Skemer’s imagination to fly on and sing his unique music, which is somewhere between that of a surreal symphony orchestra and a calliope playing dirges. Skemer’s use of language is innovative and elegant. He is adept at energizing multi-syllabic words not ordinarily seen in poetry, producing works that are both intellectually deep and emotionally evocative.