Intrinsic Desires - an eclectic book of poetry by Brandon Gene Petit

June 13, 2009 - PRLog -- It has been called “darkly compelling” and “decidedly fresh” by one discerning reviewer, and Petit has been said to have “a Poe-ish lean” by another. In the words of Petit himself, he describes his book as a merger of contemporary and archaic themes with a slight overcoat of neo-gothic overtones. In all fairness to the uniqueness of the work, it is somewhat difficult to categorize for the themes range from everything including nature, spiritual struggles, betrayal, soul-searching, labors of love, and existential philosophy. A broad spectrum of emotions is explored, from love and lust to anger and despair. Occasionally calling upon elements of mythology and folklore as well as a few cryptic biblical references, Petit paints a fantasy world that is as fraught with sorrow and tribulation as it is with beauty and discovery. Petit combines the worlds of the mortal heart and the mortal mind, spawning a world of intelligent imagination occasionally striped with a breath of raw human emotion and reality. The reader is allowed to explore the magical and mysterious, without straying too far from their inborn sentiments and emotional attachments; they can get lost in bold new territory while still being able to relate to it.  

The imagery proves to be rich and diverse in many of the poems, as the reader is taken through eerie sunsets and somber graveyards, forgotten towns and hilly rural areas, all tainted with an equally diverse palette of emotions. The semi-rural ambience of upstate New York and New England is sometimes called upon, a setting which Petit is rather fond of. In these settings unique ideas and situations are embraced, each poem telling a story that ends with a powerful phrase. Both friends and foes are encountered, from the friendly female witch in “The Intercession” to the abstract devilish entity in “The Unwritten Quest”. Joining the poet on his quest for spiritual fulfillment, the reader faces human antagonists in “The Fifth Column” as well as the ravages of war in “Pathos”. On a lighter note, they experience the warm embrace of memory in “Regression” and that of a long forgotten lover in “Two”. In his travels the poet finds strength in sorrow and wisdom in solitude, consolation in memory and adventure in nightmare…. In time the readers will find reflections of their own perils and positives of self-discovery in even the most obscure words and images the poet crafts.

Unique perspectives are toggled with, such as coming to terms with both the fruits and shortcomings of true love, and dealing with the shock and despair of waking up from a pleasant dream. Rekindling of life after nuclear war is mentioned in one poem, while the travels of one’s ghost are discussed in another. “Intrinsic Desires” dodges strict labels, drawing from a variety of sources without going too far in any one direction. A contradiction that fills its niche surprisingly well, “Intrinsic Desires” is as light-hearted as it is dreary, as psychedelic as it is gothic, as mythical as it is earthbound. It is sometimes esoteric and enigmatic, other times catchy and contemporary. It presents less traditional ideals in what many may consider a relatively easily digestible manner compared to other works in its genre. Gloomy without being depressing, dark without being brutal, subdued without being bland, “Intrinsic Desires” offers fantasy, elegance, intellect and curiosity… bold and genre-defining in a manner that takes us back to the days of Lovecraft, Dunsany and Poe.

Copies available at most online book sellers including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, and Borders... or order it direct from the publisher at AuthorHouse.com. eBook downloads available at eBookMall, LuLu and Mobipocket.com. Search keywords "intrinsic desires brandon gene petit" on Google search engine for blogs, reviews, and sample poems. Buy the book on Amazon here: http://www.amazon.com/Intrinsic-Desires-Brandon-Gene-Peti...
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