REVIEW: 'Small Epiphanies' by David Terelinck

‘Terelinck places great emphasis on preserving the authenticity of the epiphany — which is unpredictable by nature, non-linear, and varied in its themes and gravity.’

Scroll down to read Jack Anthony’s full review of Small Epiphanies by David Terelinck (Calanthe Press, 2024).

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Small Epiphanies
by David Terelinck (Calanthe Press, 2024)
Reviewed by Jack Anthony

There’s a formula to analysing a poetry collection: break it up into themes, literary technique, personal impressions, intent and execution. Ironically though, the more unique a collection is, the harder it is to write about it. Undoubtedly, this is my favourite read this year. Which is why I must default to my pure, first impressions scribbled in my notebook:

“This book has everything a poet wants — sadness, grief, queer, SEXY, natural motifs,”
- Jack Anthony, 2026

A totally biased and reductive summary, but damn if I don’t believe in it.

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published

She wears a perfume of ripe
pumpkins, bergamot and bonfires.
Autumn will peel off her chemise
of red oak and maple leaves;
she'll gladly bare her limbs
unashamed of her nakedness.
If Autumn were a woman
men would sleep with her
            and lie to their wives
without ever knowing
            the reasons why.
‘If Autumn Were a Woman’ p.18

In essence, this collection does what it says on the tin — it is a small book of epiphanies, of varying sizes.

I’d wager that a decent amount of poetry collections start as a series of epiphanies. Poems that are not always planned but arrive half-formed, knocking on the mind’s eye, inspired by sudden external stimulus or a powerful burst of feelings. And more often than not, these ideas are edited and reorganised to fit a theme, thesis, and/or narrative arc. This isn’t good or bad, just a common process.

Terelinck, however, places great emphasis on preserving the authenticity of the epiphany — which is unpredictable by nature, non-linear, and varied in its themes and gravity. There are, of course, recurring themes and motifs, but they are paced with the overall concept in mind. They don’t always flow together; they come sporadically and occasionally contradict each other.