Book Review : Luke Geiger’s first voyage through Dark Academia.
Luke Geiger’s recently published book Songs of Isolation, is the promising young author’s first sortie into some of the darker elements of the human experience that both young and old have more recently had to grapple with during times of lockdown and extended periods of isolation. Geiger gently reminds us that most of our anguish, torment, and longings exist in a fleeting and temporal space, writing in his poem The Forlorn, “In a dying world we were conceived, in a dying world we breathe our last and fade away.”
During times that test our resolve, telling ourselves that nothing quite lasts forever can provide us a momentary solace that we ought not “victimize ourselves as pariahs of happiness” too easily and “welcome misery with open arms.” to hastily. An especially touching poem, Fabricated Eden, speaks to the mechanical nature of our current political and educational atmosphere, keenly calling to attention that many of our educators and idols have had one too many glasses of the “poison of bureaucratic hypocrisy” which unfortunately has become emblematic of many of today’s modern prophets.
Geiger asks boldly, “But how do you expect me to believe your words when you don’t even know our names?” Sadly, the Kafkaesque nightmare of increased isolation, birthed in the previous century has not tempered as we squirm our way further into the 21st, but has been accelerated with increased amounts of time spent behind screens, deteriorating institutions, and misanthropic bends in society.
Yet, even with the forces of time and our fellow brethren seemingly poised against us, Geiger’s broken philosopher encourages us to continue striving forward by, “putting ink onto the page.” The genre of Dark Academia, while new, provides a unique raw glimpse into the human soul, with Songs of Isolation, serving as the perfect introduction piece.
You can check out Luke’s book down below:
https://www.azurelorica.com/product/presale-songs-of-isolation-dark-academia-poems-by-luke-geiger-paperback
