Synopsis "Venom (in English)"
Venom is Kelen's most recent book and includes poems that range in subject matter from domestic surrealities like gardening and parenting, memory, dreams, travel, art, life, love, politics and some animals and other creatures: imparted with this poet's verve, wit and warmth-with a dash of venom. "This is startling and vigorous poetry from a writer who takes head-on the complexities of contemporary life. S. K. Kelen is a sharp-focussed observer who has travelled in many countries, particularly in South-east Asia. He surprises the reader with sometimes disturbing, but always enlivening insights and by the rapidity of his thought-changes from the comic to the tragic." Rosemary Dobson ". . . a marvellous ear and restless eye, a gift for narrative that challenges as much as it reaffirms, and a willingness to tackle anything that takes his attention. . . a close-ordering of the senses, breaking open into a visual and aural feast." Anthony Lawrence, Australian Book Review, 2007 "Kelen sharpens the Australian vernacular against suburban experience, while foraging through the shipwreck of Western literature. His lyricism is rich with allusion and dislocation... and a redemptive, recurrent sense of grace." Michael Brennan, Australian Book Review, 2003 "Kelen's poetry is also breezily Zennish." Pam Brown, Sydney Morning Herald, 2001 "Long familiarity with travel has contributed towards this poet's clear-headedness, focus, and good humour. A heightened sense of empathy seems to have emerged - one that crosses the boundaries between nature and humanity, animals and plants." Patricia Prime, Just Another Arts Magazine
