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Fists in the Eye that Blinks on a Pin is a collection of poetry that feels both raw and surreal, and moves between moments of tenderness and moments of violence, exploring themes of memory, loss, and fractured identity. What inspired you to write this particular collection of poems?
This collection of poems was actually inspired by a very specific event. I was gearing up to see Billy Corgan perform at the Good Things festival when there was a sudden announcement that he would be performing an intimate acoustic set at a small venue called The Gem. The Gem is a tiny bar in a suburb called Collingwood in Melbourne, Australia. I managed to secure tickets and was huddled in this room of maybe 100 people, watching the legend Billy Corgan perform this unbelievable, stripped-back acoustic set. Truly a dream come true.
He opened up the floor to questions, and I asked how he manages to separate the emotional connection to his songs from the need to view them objectively for release to the world. His answer mesmerised me, as he talked about themes of going back to the freedom of creativity you have in childhood… reminiscing on how we have this creative flare that lets us do anything, we draw rabbits that are red with blue feet, we colour outside the lines; and it’s only once people start telling us that we’re wrong and that our drawing is terrible, that we focus on how we perceive things should be… he advocated for returning to the freedom of creativity before someone told us it was wrong. And so that’s what I tried to do with this book – just write with freedom and creativity, without concern for anything else.
How did you decide on the themes that run throughout your poetry book?
Following on from question one, there really were no preconceived themes or concepts. I didn’t set out to write the book with a particular arc or angle; nor did I know where it was going to go. Everything that was written was just written organically with a kind of spur-of-the-moment enthusiasm for creating something with freedom and enjoyment.
How do you strike a balance between clarity and ambiguity in your poetry?
It’s a good question, but probably not one I can answer. I think each reader would have a different perception of the balance between clarity and ambiguity in the book. For me, I like the idea of poetry that is more on the ambiguous side; that demands a bit of curiosity and a willingness to look for hidden meanings. But I don’t think the wider audiences like to unpack poetry anymore; people don’t want to sit down and read something that doesn’t make sense, and that they have to unravel like a code… but to me that’s what poetry is supposed to be – it’s supposed to be ambiguous, decoded…it’s supposed to challenge the reader to look deeper than merely reading the words. So who knows?
How has this poetry book changed you as a writer, or what did you learn about yourself through writing it?
I enjoyed the freedom of writing for myself first. I think my other poetry works have all been written with somewhat of a plan, a structure, a sense of narrative, and thematic linking points; I had fun writing as a homage to an experience, for the mere outcome of creating something. That was fun.
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This is a rabbit painted red, with colour outside the lines; a blue foot, an orange ear – creative bliss and a child’s mind
Fists in the Eye that Blinks on a Pin
Dyson Russell’s Fists in the Eye that Blinks on a Pin is a collection of poetry that feels both raw and surreal, like wandering through a dream where images refuse to sit still. The book moves between moments of tenderness and moments of violence, never giving the reader a chance to feel completely safe. Themes of memory, loss, and fractured identity recur throughout, tied together by vivid and sometimes startling metaphors. It’s the kind of collection where one poem can feel like a quiet confession and the next like a scream across a darkened room.
I found myself both unsettled and deeply moved. Russell writes with a kind of reckless honesty that doesn’t apologize for being strange or uncomfortable. Sometimes the words tripped me up, and I had to pause and reread, but I didn’t mind. The language has teeth, and that’s part of its pull. What I admired most was the way the poems manage to be experimental without drifting into nonsense. Even in their most chaotic moments, they circle back to something recognizable and relatable, like grief that feels both personal and universal.
The repetition of despair, loss, and fractured imagery can weigh heavily after a while. Still, I can’t deny that the intensity is part of what makes this book what it is. Russell doesn’t water anything down, and that kind of boldness is rare. It felt like stepping into someone else’s storm and just staying there until the clouds passed.
I would recommend this book to readers who crave poetry that doesn’t play it safe. If you like writing that feels visceral, experimental, and emotionally unfiltered, this collection will stay with you long after you put it down. It’s not for someone looking for light verse or easy comfort, but if you want to wrestle with language and feel something real, Fists in the Eye that Blinks on a Pin is worth your time.
Pages: 110 | ISBN : 1763820602
A Snapshot of a Moment
Stories Heard from the Heart’s Whisper is a collection of lyrical free verse giving readers a raw, poetic mosaic of memory, pain, love, and spiritual reckoning. What inspired you to write this particular collection of poems?
I think the origins can be traced back to when I released my first book ‘Marching with a Broken Shadow’. I put a lot of emphasis on releasing that book within the parameters of being thematically linked and conceptually realised; a work that wasn’t just a collection of poems, but that told a story from start to finish. When considering ‘Stories Heard from the Heart’s Whisper’ I wanted to chase something more ambitious – something that still existed as more than just a collection of poems, and that tapped into storytelling… almost in a cyclical nature… but that was grander and more of a risk in terms of style. I think this was what eventually led to the idea of having chapters, and focalising the storytelling through the mode of epic poetry; but then still using some shorter punchy poems to kinda of capitalise on the overarching narrative. I think mostly it was probably a symptom of reacting against what I perceive to be a very boring environment in the contemporary poetry world… where there is this battle between highly emotional poetry that is of poor quality vs overly sophisticated and patronising poetry that is just a weapon for a guy with a moustache sipping a latte with a poodle at his feet. Hopefully I at least created something unique.
Can you share a bit about your writing process? Do you have any rituals or routines when writing poetry?
For this particular collection I found songs and music to be very inspiring. Everything was hand written first. Apart from that I wouldn’t say there were any particular rituals or routines. Perhaps what made this collection more challenging in that context was the fact that I had to write specifically for certain chapters/themes, so there wasn’t as much scope to write on pure whim – which is perhaps why I released two shorter poetry collections, ‘Wings’ and ‘Fists in the Eye that Blinks on a Pin’, whilst writing ‘Stories Heard from the Heart’s Whisper’.
Did you write these poems with a specific audience in mind, or was it a more personal endeavor?
I’m glad this question was raised. I really appreciated the review by Literary Titan, and in particular the realisation that is portrayed by the line “Russell doesn’t write to impress; he writes to bleed. There’s an unpolished sincerity here that I admire”. This endeavour was certainly aimed to challenge myself, and to create something unique… something that broke convention. I don’t see a point in writing to be palatable to a specific audience, or writing to meet a reader’s expectations… I think poetry as an art form should be aiming to challenge readers, and to invoke questions and doubts. I remember studying poetry at school and it being so highly analytical; looking into the structures of poem, the syllables in the lines, the double meanings, the plays on language etc. To me, poetry isn’t just supposed to be something to read and garner a brief emotional reaction, it is meant to be something that you unpack, and solve… It was funny, I got a very poor review from someone who said that I had overlooked the patience of the 21st century reader… and I thought, what a funny criticism; I’m not tying anyone up forcing them to read it – this was the mode of artistic expression that I wanted to convey, fully aware that most people aren’t going to want to read 1000 word poems… but why should anyone, following any artistic pursuit, be beholden to the comfort zones of people who’s main endeavour is to criticize.
What was the biggest challenge you faced in putting together this poetry collection?
Certainly the editing process was the biggest challenge with this collection. Given the sheer lengths of the epic poems, it was very difficult to sit down and ensure that there was consistency with my reading and interpretations; and even concentration level. I did so many rounds of editing, and if I didn’t release it when I did I would probably still be making adjustments now… but that is the beauty of art I think, is that it is a snapshot of a moment… imperfect, but perhaps perfect in what it reflects of that moment in time.
Author Links: GoodReads
In what memories would your soul live, if only it had a choice?
In Dyson Russell’s second anthological collection of poetry, he seeks to gift the power of words to the heart and soul… Allowing for dramatic exploration of the depths of human emotion and experience through the guise of the unconscious – the inner spirit. Uniquely structured, and broken into ten chapters, Russell uses his penchant for poetic narrative to tell a story that is truly whispered from the secrets of the heart. Take the quest, and walk side by side your soul, as you uncover ‘Stories Heard From the Heart’s Whisper’
Stories Heard From the Heart’s Whisper
In Stories Heard from the Heart’s Whisper, Dyson Russell gives us a raw, poetic mosaic of memory, pain, love, and spiritual reckoning. The book is a sweeping collection of lyrical free verse that reads like a long, emotional dream. Each chapter unfolds like a new season in a soul’s life, with themes of youth, mourning, rage, wonder, and healing weaving in and out like whispers caught in the wind. The poetry is divided into ten chapters, structured with recurring imagery like nature, dreams, brokenness, and celestial light. It pulls readers through reflections on identity, loss, trauma, and a hope that flickers but never quite dies out.
The writing is intense. It’s visceral in a way that made me pause and breathe before moving on. Russell doesn’t write to impress; he writes to bleed. There’s an unpolished sincerity here that I admire. The metaphors come fast and layered. Sometimes overwhelming, sometimes perfect. I loved how certain poems slipped into my memory as if I’d read them in a dream before. “The Breeze as a Name” and “Mourning in Morning” left knots in my chest.
Russell doesn’t tie up pain with a ribbon. He lets sadness sit beside you like a guest who isn’t leaving soon. And still, there’s hope. There’s tenderness, especially in how the poet talks to his past selves, his ghosts, his fading memories. At times, it reminded me of late-night conversations with someone you trust, where everything spills out and nothing has to make perfect sense. Some poems wandered a bit, sure, and the repetition of certain motifs occasionally dulled their impact, but it didn’t take away from the heart of the book. The voice here is honest.
I’d recommend Stories Heard from the Heart’s Whisper to anyone who’s ever sat with heartbreak long enough to name it. It’s not for those in a rush or looking for clean answers. But for readers who want to feel, who don’t mind getting a little lost in beauty and sorrow, this book will resonate.
Pages: 226 | ASIN : B0FB8DRM44
LITERARY TITAN 