The Poetic Vibrations of a Matured Butterfly


Poetry - General
114 Pages
Reviewed on 06/06/2020
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Author Biography

Arthur Lee Conway is a native of Charlottesville, Virginia, and has attended the University of Maryland University College, graduating with an A.A. in Business Administration.
He is the author of THE POETIC VIBRATIONS OF A MATURED BUTTERFLY: POEMS AND PARABLES. Winner of a 2018 Summer Pinnacle Book Achievement Award. 2021 Literary Titan Book Gold Award winner for Poetry.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite

The Poetic Vibrations of a Matured Butterfly by Arthur Lee Conway is a compilation of poetry and flash fiction that focuses on themes of very human conditions of frailty and discord. Broken into three separate parts, Conway compartmentalizes his anthology into sections. Part one is titled Rites of Passage, part two is Valley of Passions, and part three is Philosophical Roads. Each section features work that speaks of the cruelty of people, their weakness and depravity. These failings are highlighted in pieces such as The Hunt, a short story of police brutality, and the allegory of the verses called Oppression which are interspersed sporadically between other work throughout the book, stringing each vignette into a collective that binds them as one.

Poetry is often difficult to review because it is deeply personal and wholly subjective, more like a piece of artwork than a novel. Everyone sees and feels something different, and the delicate balance between appreciating the soul of a poet's work and actually 'getting it' is precarious at best. I think The Poetic Vibrations of a Matured Butterfly is the type of book that a reader will either embrace or abandon. For myself, I believe that Arthur Lee Conway does well in addressing the human condition and that this compilation is both timely and relevant. I was particularly stirred by The Addict and his Daughter, a free verse in tercet style that in a single breath unleashes the collateral damage of addiction in the most heinous form. It's also worth noting that the book is sprinkled with sketched illustrations by Hampton R. Olfus, Jr. that are really good. Overall, this is a thoughtful anthology of work that I genuinely enjoyed.

Sarah Stuart

The Poetic Vibrations of a Matured Butterfly is illustrated with black sketches on white. The color contrast is a condemnation of flawed, often wicked, and self-seeking mankind, yet nothing is truly black and white, but shades of grey. Arthur Lee Conway describes his work thus – “A poetic journey of verses, thoughts, and parables about mankind’s schisms. Cyclonic interactions and divisions that cause movement, and sometimes turbulent development in the cocoon of Gaia. Resulting in birth, after numerous encounters with Earth’s worldly frequencies, culminating in the coming of the Monarch. That majestic entity that elects to take flight towards the Light of Eternal Understanding.” Does the reader come to “the light of eternal understanding? Reading certainly causes questioning of oneself, one’s reaction to others, and the validity of everything in which one believes.

The Poetic Vibrations of a Matured Butterfly by Arthur Lee Conway is a powerful book divided into three sections: Rites of Passage, Valley of Passions, and Philosophical Roads. Fine poetry invariably causes a reaction in its readers. Mr. Conway goes further with what he refers to as parables, which give him scope to express more even than his freestyle poems. Amongst the shorter verses are twelve that open “OPPRESSION is”, each tackling a different incidence, some of them surprising. Every reader will have their favorite verses or parables. Mine are Currency, The Gambler That Loved, The Acrobat, Crossroads, and Dichotomy of Phraseology. In The Poetic Vibrations of a Matured Butterfly, Arthur Lee Conway does not seek to be liked but to force his readers to face unpalatable truths, and he succeeds.

Lesley Jones

Are we living in a free and caring society or are we, as mankind, only interested in our own selfish desires and needs? Are we really free-thinking and independent, or are we just clones of political and social groups conditioned to have the same thoughts and beliefs? Throughout this collection of poems, observations, and parables, The Poetic Vibrations of a Matured Butterfly by Arthur Lee Conway, we will examine the complexities of human behavior where throughout history mankind has shown a complete lack of kindness and humanity. From the Holocaust to unnecessary wars and the worship of dictators, we have ignored cruelty, injustice, and detached ourselves from the fate of others. Do we all have a right to exist in peace, love, and abundance or is that kind of life only for the few elite and those who choose to conform to the views of the elites?

The Poetic Vibrations of a Matured Butterfly by Arthur Lee Conway is a thought-provoking collection of poetry that will inspire you to look at the world with a fresh outlook. The words flow off the page with eloquence and articulation. The subject matter is powerful and emotional to read but after each poem, you will stop and ponder the meaning with a deep motivation to change your own inner selfish bias and needs. The Gambler That Loved, The Defilement of a Border Baby, Crossroads, and The Persona of Statemanship are just a few of my favorites. Each poem highlights the flaws in mankind's tolerance of the intolerable, their detachment to others' pain and suffering around the world. Even in our own communities, there has been a tragic breakdown where we ignore inequality, abuse, and oppression. The author has a skill like no other to use language in such a way that it ignites change within the reader's heart.