13thWR

BENCHMARKS by David Offutt (Osric Publishing, 22pgs, \$3.00)

According to the passage on the back of this collection, Benchmarks is "insightful...illuminating...the cosmic ironies of modern life." It also states that "this is his first collection." I am puzzled on all counts because I didn't find this spare grouping of nineteen short poems to be insightful, illuminating or terribly ironic. Nor is this Mr. Offutt's first collection. I vaguely recall reviewing his first, A Perishable Good a few years ago (at least I think it was his first - perhaps, he has a dozen first collections out there that no one can recall).

Insightful? Hmm....

"Walking with measured step
to his car,
alone, yet
free in his future,
pained in his past and,
acutely aware in his present.

Is that insightful? How about illuminating?

"These invisible men,
she sees as men,
and reaches out with caring hand..."

"...She pauses,
then hands over the cellophaned
Roast beef on wheat

I ask her why she does this, and
she just smiles."

Irony?

"Turning towards the station,
he smiled broadly, knowing that
although he had lost a lover,
he had kept a friend..."

I don't know if that is ironic, but my testosterone level dropped dramatically after reading it.

Mr. Offutt's writing isn't inept - his poetry is actually fairly well-crafted. I simply can't figure out what he has crafted. His slice-of-life observations are bland, lacking movement and a genuine sense of urgency or revelation. On a brighter note, the chapbook looks nice. Christopher ^TM Herdt does a nice job with the cover and overall layout. Too bad the content isn't worth the effort he put into this project. Here's hoping Christopher gets the chance to publish material more deserving of his energies.

- reviewed by JCE