Reviewed by: Michael Ernest Sweet
Concordia University

Given all of the simply poor poetry that I have read in the past couple of years, especially that of the self-published world, I am happy to announce that Scrap Paper Thinking by Claudia Bierschenk is a book with much potential. Although the poet suffers from various style difficulties common to amateur poets, she also has a distinct flavor to her voice akin to Charles Bukowski. Those of you who are unaware of Bukowski - don’t admit it - he was a German born poet who loved most of his life in Los Angeles. Bukowski has a frequently imitated frankness and freshness in his poetic voice, which, in Bierschenk’s case, I think is more natural than imitation. Unafraid to use harshness of language to communicate authenticity Bierschenk let’s loose Bukowski style in her poem untitled. I will use this opportunity to remind the poet of the number of world famous time-enduring works of literature which are “untitled” - none. Here is an excerpt from that poem:

…
Maybe the shrink’s right
About that teacher in first grade.
I thought her a witch
who ate children.
The creepy old bitch.
Is it her fault that I’m the quiet stranger
At parties, never laugh or joke,
Just stand in the corner, smoke
And wonder, when the fuck can I go?
…

We see this same style return a few times in the collection, again in the poem Fact, for example, but as a whole the style is underdeveloped. The poet would be wise to hone in on this seemingly natural style and perfect it without resorting to the mere imitation of Bukowski.

Aside from this fresh and authentic feeling style I am ambivalent about the books worth as a collection of poetry. My fist impression is that Bierschenk, like many young poets, was in a mad dash to publish a book of poety. As such, many of the poems in the collection suffer from what appears to be a lack of thoughtful, indeed painful, editing and revising. For example, the poem untitled above, although exuding Bukowskish eloquence, is somewhat disappointing in the end. The poem has simply not been through a rigorous process of revision. It has not spend a few months in a drawer before being revisited by the poet and her pen. This is what often seperates good poetry from great poetry. And, this is what is often too hard for amateur poets to do - so it would seem.

Claudia Bierschenk is a poet with potential to make a lasting impression on the scene. She must, however, spend more time working out her style, my major criticism of her work in this collection. Among the numerous annoying, and simply incorrect, uses of style her addiction to parentheses is particularly annoying. Correctly used as a way to deliver a private, often softer, subtext to the main verse this technique can be most effective. My issue, Bierschenk is simply addicted to sharing these softer private reflections many of which should be left up to the reader’s imagination. The poet lays bare too much of her inner reflection which can lead the poem to become ‘diary’ like… not a quality one wants to chase.

I like the feel of this little book. The shinny red and black cover is attractive but not overstated. The inside pages are clean and crisp with no distractions from the poetry. I would like to see more poets make use of simple pencil drawings in their collections; but I digress. Additionally, and this is particularly applicable to this collection, self-published authors need to pay more attention to a books front matter. Many self-published collections suffer from missing, incomplete and misplaced front matter elements. This will immediately give a reader (hopefully a buyer) an impression of amateurism. Most noticable with this collection, and many I have recently reviewed, is the absence of a preface or introduction. Readers are merely thrown into the depths of poetry without a proper introduction to the poet and her voice; her background and ambitions in the collection. This can often make the difference and, in this case, might even lead to the lessened need for parentheses in the poetic works. Moreover, the back cover of the book is two sentences despite the fact that it is composed of more than eighty words! Self-publishing need not mean, indeed should not mean, self-editing.

In the end, Scrap Paper Thinking and poet Claudia Bierschenk have great potential. If I were the poet I would retire this edition of the book and return to the drawing board to re-think, refine and recreate many of the works in this collection. With a bit more revision and self-critique combined with very serious (professional) editing this collection could be one which finds its way to poetry libraries everywhere. The style is fresh. The writing is accessible. Bierschenk has life experience which can inform great poetry. I would like to see her deliver more on her promise of exposing the life of a little girl behind the iron curtain. This is an angle she claims to portray but which I find greatly underdeveloped in this collection. Go to work Claudia - your audicance awaits!

Bierschenk, C. (2007). Scrap paper thinking. Morrisville, NC: Lulu Press.
(44pp.) $12.61 US. Buy Here….

Michael Ernest Sweet is a poet, writer, essayist, journalist and public educator who lives in Montreal, Quebec. His works are widely published and acclaimed. His poem Nude recently placed in the International Ultra Short Competition at the University of Maine. The competition had more than 600 entries from nearly fifty countries. Michael is the founder of LearningforaCause.org and Poet Laureate for the Monarchist Society of America.