Poetic Review on: Phillip Ellis, Macabre Poet of Australia


Although best known in Australia, for his eldritch style poetic voice, Phillip Ellis (whom now is becoming international), is by nature and choice, a true young poet; he shows us the transcendent world, as did Edgar Allen Poe, in his poetry, and uses imagery like George Sterling. Some of his poetry, superb verse, is in line with Robert E. Howard, whom to me was a better poet than a novelist. I have read in these past three or four years much of his poetry, and the omnibus collection he has recently published “The Flayed Man,” I am waiting eagerly to receive in the mail to read: which I’m sure will become in time a classic in its genre, and sought after for its First Edition series. He might be considered a parallel to Clark A. Smith, Samuel Loveman, or H.P. Lovecraft (or all three), in that, he steps into the science fiction and fantasy world of verse, to metaphysical and psychological depths. Here he mixes the world of the hopeless with the world on its way to hopelessness. He shows us what is left to be exposed, graphed and investigated. Once read, ultimate beauty can be found, along with haunting, and profoundly pessimism dragged to the dark side of the conqueror. Much of his poetry lingers in the macabre: thus, here one can find the timeless gift of restless poetic moments. He is not for everyone, but surely is for the selected readers of this class, that has an immortal romantic path.

Perhaps the end product of Mr. Ellis’ poetry might be put this way: he offers the reader compelling thoughts on his world, society, and philosophy, and once read they are hard to be dismissed.