Holy Tango, reviewed by comeau

Holy Tango (anthology) of literature, by Francis Heaney
Reviewed by PA Comeau

Looking for a poetry book can be quite an adventure. If you are anything like me, than you would have no idea where to start, you wouldn’t even know what you wanted. Enter the bookstore, wander around and you might find the poetry section. It is dominated by tomes from the “greats” with small, deadly looking, books. Little collections with killer names like “Turnings,” or “Empty Dreams.” Feeling flustered, when I was put in this position my hand darted for the bright glossy green cover of “Holy Tango.”

It’s light, it’s fun, it’s pointless(?), it’s free versed occasionally, it’s not really that scary. On an introductory level, this book starts and plays with many writing styles. Any well rounded reader can enjoy famous authors being lampooned. Francis Heaney’s book takes the style and form of each poet/writer, and twists a new piece into those shapes. Things get… skewed, but only in content. The themes are out of hand, but the language and modes are all appropriate.

Heaney’s only overriding principals are irreverence, irrelevancy, indecency, and inappropriateness. Or, as he would like to propose himself, is there more to be found in this sacrilege? Is the idea of Shakespeare writing about sperm whale’s sperm really that much more offensive than the master himself? At the vary least, this work is a good repose, (or even entry) to the “typical” heavy subjects of poetry.

The unpredictability of topics (see Heaney’s explanation of the poem titles), and the quick changes in technique make the book excellent for just picking up, or reading end to end. All the poems get to the point in a page or two, and none seem old. Although if its appropriate one or two poems may ramble on for several pages, not unlike some famous authors... Unless you have a problem reading clever pieces, you will have no problems enjoying and thinking about the book.

That might seem a bit vague, so let me elaborate. What is the point of silly poems? These poems satirize famous methods and modes, and in one way that is the greatest flattery. Heaney has “updated” these old poems with new content. Now the masters are accessible to anyone. Ok, even I admit that was BS, I mean these are trashy poems. Still why don’t you read them and tell my why you think he wrote them. I have my own idea, but its very subjective.

As I mentioned, on a formal level, the book spans the spectrum. All the way from a Shakespearian sonnet, to a script like Woody Allen, individual verses are tried and tested. The effect is disconcerting to a focused reader, one never knows if Heaney is reaching for and idea, or just commenting on a superficial, signifier level. Maybe this review reads the same, but you will have to read both to tell me.