local poetry review

Broken Zen by Wayne Mason

Poet and Spoken Artist Wayne Mason's bio only lists him as a proletariat. His recently published chapbook, called "Broken Zen", alludes to the conflict between having to work in a factory and pursuing a personal spiritual search, whether it be in his writing, music or personal life.

From the simplicity in such pieces as "Satori" in which he seems to find perfection in a moment of time to the frustration expressed in "One More Time" in which he describes his boss, "He looks at me as if I just shit in church and I look at him like a man utterly defeated.". Mason's work exudes wisdom amidst the reality that most of us face. While very few of us have the luxury of living in a cave, Mason's own verse shows us what it is like to experience the luxury of living in a cave while working in a blue collar existence.

Mason also includes some personal pieces about his family, the most touching of which is the moving, "Zoe and the Muse", about his daughter. In it he writes, "She tells me to be quiet, She's writing poetry.

Wayne Mason's chapbook, Broken Zen, is available and highly recommended, for only $5 postpaid. Each chapbook is put together by Wayne with a hand stained cover and personal bookmark, making each copy unique.

make contact:

My Space

Guerrilla Poetics