Beyond the Masks

This is an eclectic collection of poetry that was nominated for the National Book Award in 2006 by the publisher at the time, Central Ave. Publishing. The poems here are gathered into four sections: Lessons; Tales; Complaints; and Beyond the Masks. Nothing about this collection has anything to do with a world where simply sitting in a circle holding hands and singing Kumbaya will make everybody put down their guns and play nice. It has nothing to do with flowers and butterflies. Stanbrough's poetry derives from the real world. Any flowers involved are probably being clutched by the widow of a fallen Marine, and if there are butterflies, they're in the reader's stomach. If you want milquetoast poetry, this is not for you. If you want poetry that you have to "interpret" to understand, this is not for you. If you want brain-twisting reality and gut-wrenching emotional depth---if you want poetry that will make you get up and pour yourself a brandy---you want this poetry collection. Influenced by W.B. Yeats, Robert Frost, Anthony Hecht and Howard Nemerov, Stanbrough's poetry sings with the rhythms of blank verse. If the spiritual and the earthly can be trapped in one place, this collection is that place.