To say that a publication from David S. Pointer and Virgogray Press wasn’t a long time in the coming is a brash understatement. Sinister Splashplay has sat quietly waiting in the wings, all manners of movement and vibration the anticipation, waiting to see the light of day. And here it is. But, reader please. There is so much more. To say that Tennessee poet, David S. Ponter is not prolific is a gross violation of the laws of truth. A mere review of the body of work that has been published with Virgogray Press alone (Not including this publication, but which all together could probably make their own publication — hey– that might not be a bad idea *ed) can only speculate the myriads of publications in the literary underground and aboveground. Reader, there is more. But you came to find out about this new collection from David Pointer, and one Virgogray is proud to present. Sinister Splashplay definitely tests the versatility of Pointer as a writer and of his audience. Here is something different, though not any type of phenomena, a book of poetry that collects poems thematic of Steampunk and the avantgarde, rock and roll and  morgues!?! Still, Pointers poignant word play and verbiage rings true and will be all too familiar to fans of his work. For instance in the poem, “Air Trackers:”

Air Trackers

The ghosts come out
of the embalming sinks
and blue formalin
barrels as stove smoke
or nearly invisible
vapor, sometimes they
take a floatation bath
figuring out how to
kill us all on the way
to bone dust mountain

The images immediately transport the reader, but the verbiage and word choice, the cadence, move the poem and in its brevity catches the reader in a necessary moment, a pause for thought, or perhaps to re-read again. The poems are not all so convoluted and some, such as “Passion Planet” have pretty moments beside the futuristic visions culling word. Still, Sinister Splashplay offers more in the way of imagination and creativity, a throw back to genre writing, only for poetry, but sophisticated enough to not insult any academic spinsters, definite summer reading material.

Cover art by Justin Jackley.
32 pages