Title: The Story of a Man
Author: Marvin A. Hayes
Publisher: Gotopublish
ISBN: 978-1-64749-766-8
Genre: Poetry
Pages: 118
Reviewed by: Arthur Thares
Hollywood Book Reviews
Poetry is a magical art form because four lines can tell a story in the right hands. Poets pour their hearts and souls into pages to make you feel how they feel, even if you come from entirely different backgrounds. Poet Marvin A. Hayes has compiled a book of poetry which is sometimes heady, sometimes visceral, but always entertaining.
The book opens with a titular poem about the greatest athlete of all time, setting the pace for the rest of the book. Many of Hayes’ poems allude to his time growing up, like “Ain’t He Cool,” where he looks up to another person with eyes of admiration, but you see a maturation in the book as his poems seem to leave behind youthfulness and accept love, aging, and family like the poem, “It’s Just Another Year.” The book ends with a series of astrological poems that is somewhat of an entertaining horoscope.
One of my favorite aspects of Hayes’ style is his cadence and how he plays with words. He isn’t afraid to use slang or manipulate the spelling of words to bend to the needs of his poems. His use of slang lends authenticity to his poems, giving them a sense of realism in a medium rife with artistic exaggeration. Most of the poems are short, spanning from just a few lines to no more than a page. While the poems are short, Mr. Hayes conveys his message with clarity and confidence.
We live in an age where everything is digital, giving authors the freedom to add media to their books to further connect with the reader. One way that Mr.Hayes has done this is by adding personal family photos throughout his poetry book, which helps connect with him on a deeper level. Mr. Hayes also used technology to his advantage to add an unconventional element to this book. The first few poems come with a YouTube address that you can use to listen to the poems being read aloud.
Poetry is all heart, and it is clear that Mr. Hayes has a big one. The Story of a Man is a fantastic collection of poetry generated by a man who seems to have had these poems bottled up in him his whole life, just waiting for a chance to get them on a page. Poetry lovers will enjoy Marvin A. Hayes’ way with words and his skill at telling whole stories in just a few short lines.