The Dark Man

Dark Man is King flexing his poetic muscles. King has said that he is not much of a poet. Often, even when he writes poetry, it is of a more illustrative type of narrative that verse. It is just not how his mind works.  

Is this great? Not so much. 

But, it is a serviceable piece of literature that I read and practically studied for the sake of the King's Quest and completeness. 

Important aspects to consider when checking out The Dark Man. There are few examples of capital letters and punctuation. It gives the poem an almost run-on stream of consciousness vibe that is pretty annoying. Furthermore, it isn't great or evocative poetry. It reminds me quite a bit of something you would see at a college poetry slam. 

i have slept in glaring swampswhere musk-reek roseto mix with the sex smell of rotting cypress stumpswhere witch fire clung in sunkenpsycho spheres of baptism

Eh. It is, however, essential if you are a King-ite? Kinger? A person who reads a lot of Stephen King, as this is a poem about one of King's most titular characters, Randall Flagg. It gives you quite an impression of Flagg that helps solidify him as one of literature's great antagonists. 

The reason you should read this, and the reason why I gave it four stars is because of the graphics. The illustrator is Glenn Chadbourne, a horror artist. They are incredible. Detailed, enthralling, and in their dark ways, completely beautiful. This is the reason you read this book. Chadbourne takes you down some dark paths with his imagery, and it only makes it better if you have read a lot of King. 

It is a perfect depiction of how I imagine Flagg. If you can find a copy of this, peruse it, you will see what I mean.