Yusuf Misdaq

The Butterfly Gate Yusuf Misdaq

An ecstatic sequel to the Afghan author's more somber book, 'Into Solidity,' 'The Butterfly Gate' is a bright, explosive and georgeous collection of poems / hilarious illustrations by a slightly crazy writer who, despite operating on a totally mysterious and euphoric level, kindly makes us feel completely welcome as we navigate his sensual-spiritual stream of purple, laughing consciousness. As with the other works in this series, the readers will find themselves inundated with very human, unpretentious poetry that is ultimately, as the foreword informs us, a documentation of the soul as it attempts to break free from the body, without any proper 'guidelines'. To this end, the British-born author finds himself almost haunted by an impossible to place, 'East' which comes along every once in a while and teases, releasing scents of possible solution. The short stories included are in equal parts liberating, funny and mystical; much like the rest of the book, they leave us with a feeling of awe at our own unique human existence; happy strangers to our own skin, curious tourists to the possibilities of our own, fresh hearts. Inspirational, alive and, like a baby, softly kicking- 'The Butterfly Gate' is a wonderful depiction of sensual, problematic, delicious human LIFE!