Surrealia

Surrealia is a collection of poems that form a narrative about a sentient world that is a place of ease, deep philosophical inquiry, self-growth, and revolution. Its protagonist Max discovers much about himself, the greater aspects of existence, and the role that he can play in shaping a better future. These poems are thought-provoking, humorous, odd, experimental, incendiary, and inspiring. They play with forms that include acrostic, blank verse, cinquain, concrete, free verse, nonsense, palindrome, prose poem, villanelle, and new verse rhythms. Each use of form fits its poetic application to enhance the imagery and storytelling. Many non-human sentient species, including artificial intelligence, are described throughout and play pivotal roles in Max"s quest. There is a concerted effort by the poet to portray these exoplanetarians as just as important, with lives just as valuable, as humans in the galaxy. One of the places on Surrealia that Max visits is the Anharmonic Museum. Several poems describe the exhibits in this place, ranging from bizarre objects to performance art. Even the act of exiting the building is an ever-changing exhibition. Another area of self-discovery on Surrealia is the Jumble. Max meets an important ally there. The poem about the Jumble is an example of an experimental form that has characteristics of song lyrics. The interactions of individuals from parallel universes are key elements in the narrative. Unlike the science fiction trope of good versus evil versions of people in alternate realities, there is a more nuanced and non-judgmental presentation of this theme.