30 review for The Haunted Computer and the Android Pope: Poems

1. 

   4 out of 5

   Mark Oppenlander – Feb 20, 2012

   Of the three books of Bradbury's poetry I have read, this one may be the best. It is less scattered and more concise than "When Elephants Last in the Dooryard Bloomed" and it is consistently higher quality material than the poems collected in "Where Robot Mice and Robot Men Run Round in Robot Towns," a book which felt very thrown together. The poems here deal with typical Bradbury themes: paeans to the aspirations of human endeavor (including art, science and exploration), gentle nostalgic reflec Of the three books of Bradbury's poetry I have read, this one may be the best. It is less scattered and more concise than "When Elephants Last in the Dooryard Bloomed" and it is consistently higher quality material than the poems collected in "Where Robot Mice and Robot Men Run Round in Robot Towns," a book which felt very thrown together. The poems here deal with typical Bradbury themes: paeans to the aspirations of human endeavor (including art, science and exploration), gentle nostalgic reflections of childhood, meditations on aging, quirky odes to famous people (including this time Ty Cobb and Louis Armstrong) and even poems exploring the relationship between science and faith. One of my favorite poems in this collection were "And Yet the Burning Bush has Voice" which deals with that last theme; it seems to express Bradbury's sense of the tension between the mystic and the logical. I also found memorable the poems "To an Early Mornng Darning-Needle Dragonfly" and "Too Much" which both deal with the utter delight the author takes in being alive, despite the inherent perils of living. I also liked "Everyone's Got to be Somewhere," which had one of the strongest character voices I have read in all of Bradbury's work, stories and poems included.

2. 

   4 out of 5

   Ray – Jul 28, 2021

   Enjoyable, quirky, and existential poems in Bradbury's usual style. Ranges from scifi space to and ode to a man who stole second base. Really enjoyable. Enjoyable, quirky, and existential poems in Bradbury's usual style. Ranges from scifi space to and ode to a man who stole second base. Really enjoyable.

3. 

   5 out of 5

   Hank Hoeft – Aug 09, 2018

   If I had read this slim volume of poetry without knowing who the author was, I still would have been able to guess they were written by Ray Bradbury even though I'd never read any of Bradbury's poetry before and in fact didn't know he wrote enough to make a collection big enough to publish as a book. The same themes of the universe being a place of limitless wonder, the human animal being a creature of boundless imagination, the mix of science and magic, and the nostalgia of an older, earlier Am If I had read this slim volume of poetry without knowing who the author was, I still would have been able to guess they were written by Ray Bradbury even though I'd never read any of Bradbury's poetry before and in fact didn't know he wrote enough to make a collection big enough to publish as a book. The same themes of the universe being a place of limitless wonder, the human animal being a creature of boundless imagination, the mix of science and magic, and the nostalgia of an older, earlier America that permeate so much of his prose, are so prominent in these poems. The Haunted Computer and the Android Pope is only 98 pages long, but this book took me just as long to read as a much thicker novel, as each poem had be read slowly, and savored.

4. 

   4 out of 5

   Paige – Jun 19, 2021

   3.5 stars. I'm really not a poetry person (had to read for a school assignment and then ignored it for a couple of years), but some of these I did enjoy. 3.5 stars. I'm really not a poetry person (had to read for a school assignment and then ignored it for a couple of years), but some of these I did enjoy.

5. 

   5 out of 5

   David – Apr 21, 2013

   It's my preference to devour words when I read, so I generally am not a fan of poetry because it requires savoring to fully appreciate it. Unless it's something like Walt Whitman's "Leaves of Grass" which make profound observations without need of a classical education to decipher it, the poetry has to be really good for me to slow down and enjoy the flavors. Bradbury's poetry doesn't fit that caliber. I much prefer his prose. That said, the best of them all was the absurd "Ode to Ty Cobb, Who St It's my preference to devour words when I read, so I generally am not a fan of poetry because it requires savoring to fully appreciate it. Unless it's something like Walt Whitman's "Leaves of Grass" which make profound observations without need of a classical education to decipher it, the poetry has to be really good for me to slow down and enjoy the flavors. Bradbury's poetry doesn't fit that caliber. I much prefer his prose. That said, the best of them all was the absurd "Ode to Ty Cobb, Who Stole First Base from Second". I also enjoyed "The Past is the Only Dead Thing that Smells Sweet", "You Can't Go Home Again, Not Even if you STAY there", "The Bike Repairmen" (referencing the Wright Brothers), and "Everybody's Got to Be Somewhere".

6. 

   4 out of 5

   Cail – May 29, 2008

   A very interesting look into the mind of Ray Bradbury. While he has many poems dedicated to infinite space and wild beings, much of the material is based off his travels to ancient ruins or ruminations on childhood summers. I digested this book over the course of two months, partaking with other reads. The poems require care and attention, as the layers and imagery Bradbury evokes are substantial. A must for Bradbury fans.

7. 

   5 out of 5

   Krista Stevens – Mar 19, 2013

   Who knew Bradbury wrote poetry (and loved Impressionist painters) - now having said that, I prefer his short stories and novels. Even so, some great poems to post for National Poetry Month; "They Have Not Seen the Stars", "The East is Up" (both for astronomy classes), "If Peaches Could Be Painters", "Two Impressionists", "Within a Summer Frame" (for art classrooms), and "Satchmo Saved" (P.E.). Thanks Ray! Who knew Bradbury wrote poetry (and loved Impressionist painters) - now having said that, I prefer his short stories and novels. Even so, some great poems to post for National Poetry Month; "They Have Not Seen the Stars", "The East is Up" (both for astronomy classes), "If Peaches Could Be Painters", "Two Impressionists", "Within a Summer Frame" (for art classrooms), and "Satchmo Saved" (P.E.). Thanks Ray!

8. 

   5 out of 5

   Charles – Dec 26, 2008

   I love Bradbury's poetic prose, but I must say I prefer his prose quite a bit over his actual poetry. It's good, but not as great as I expected it to be when I first tried his poetry. I love Bradbury's poetic prose, but I must say I prefer his prose quite a bit over his actual poetry. It's good, but not as great as I expected it to be when I first tried his poetry.

9. 

   5 out of 5

   Rafael Munoz – Feb 10, 2014

   The book was very inspirational. In my opinion, it spoke about the relationship between religion and technology. If you like Ray Bradbury You'll like this book. The book was very inspirational. In my opinion, it spoke about the relationship between religion and technology. If you like Ray Bradbury You'll like this book.

10. 

    4 out of 5

    Martin –

11. 

    5 out of 5

    Jon C Manzo –

12. 

    4 out of 5

    Ema –

13. 

    4 out of 5

    David –

14. 

    4 out of 5

    Chris Fletcher –

15. 

    4 out of 5

    Scot Simmons –

16. 

    4 out of 5

    Sarah –

17. 

    4 out of 5

    Michael –

18. 

    4 out of 5

    Matthew Purnell –

19. 

    4 out of 5

    Elliott James –

20. 

    5 out of 5

    John Gorski –

21. 

    5 out of 5

    Morwen –

22. 

    4 out of 5

    Felicia –

23. 

    5 out of 5

    Jack C. Buck –

24. 

    4 out of 5

    Joe Essaf –

25. 

    4 out of 5

    Christopher Conlon –

26. 

    5 out of 5

    Vanessa –

27. 

    4 out of 5

    stephanie –

28. 

    5 out of 5

    Spooky –

29. 

    4 out of 5

    Steven –

30. 

    5 out of 5

    Stacie –