Abstracts

John O'Loughlin's one and only collection of abstract poems, originally dating from 1983, can be read (in the main) like an ordinary or mainstream collection of free verse, except that the verse is somewhat freer - and possibly lighter - than would normally qualify for poetry of that ilk. Nevertheless we believe it stops well short of being 'word art', like 'Contemplations' and other subsequent ventures into poetic abstraction by the author, even if some people might regard it as degenerate verse and therefore subversive of poetry, whatever is usually understood by that term. The cover, not surprisingly, shows details of a painting by John O'Loughlin which would appear to be beyond both abstract poetry and poetic word art alike in its abstract absolutism.