Love and Other Things That Hurt

Ronald Charles Epstein is a Toronto-based freelance writer and published poet.

D.C. Reid is former president of the British Columbia Federation of
Writers. Love and Other Things That Hurt, his fifth book of poetry, is
his attempt to explain to his two daughters why he ended his marriage to
their mother. Since divorce, not poetry, is prevalent in this society,
the poems might comfort those affected by marital breakdown. Women who
leave their husbands are more likely to identify with the male
protagonist than those who were discarded by spouses, but even they may
have problems with some of the poems. Reid cleverly avoids demonizing
his ex-wife, but asserts that he left her because she wanted to remake
him, “All she ever wanted you to do was to become another person.”
Female readers may not accept a book in which a woman is blamed for
destroying a relationship. And even though this work is dedicated to his
daughters, it may not interest juveniles either (“children of
divorce” are usually given literature of the Sally Has Two Addresses
variety that is written from their perspective). They may need to heal
before they are ready to read a book written by a divorcing parent.

Men can be expected to empathize with Reid, provided that they can
accept certain references. “When her time would wait no more, Samantha
left a tampax wrapped in tissue” may evoke sarcastic retort “Thanks
for sharing!” And how many guys would identify with a male protagonist
who wears “starched white petticoats”? The poet seeks male readers,
but misses Everyman.

Demographic considerations aside, this attempt at confessional
literature is unsuccessful. Reid’s sexual metaphors are clichéd and
his pop-cultural references are facile at best. He reaches deep into his
past, but “depth” is a relative term.