Shorts: Poems and Short Stories by Charles Lopez Bruns is a compelling and diverse collection that deftly captures the pulse of American life through dual lenses: evocative poetry and insightful short fiction. The book’s structure offers a dynamic journey, moving between the concise power of verse and the unfolding narratives of four short stories, including “More Than Street Wise,” “A Woman and Man,” and “Home.”
The poetry section functions as a vibrant scrapbook of observations and reflections. Bruns grounds many of his pieces in the geography of the Northeast, vividly contrasting the bustling energy of New York City (“The sound of music,” “Greenwich Village, 2016”) with more reflective, natural settings, such as the Adirondack Mountains (“On a Moffitt’s Day”) and the coastal Jersey Shore (“Love the Sea, See the Love”).
Themes of family (“Family Family”), change, and the simple, shared experiences of humanity—like retrieving a wedding ring in “Ringer” or the poignant connection with a man on the street in “Homeless”—are explored with warmth and a keen eye for detail. Whether meditating on social change in “Sea Changes” or celebrating the immigrant mosaic of “America,” Bruns’ writing is accessible yet poignant. This collection is a rewarding read for those who appreciate writing that finds the extraordinary in the everyday and offers a window into the varied landscapes and human stories of a life well-observed.
The above book review was generated by Google’s Gemini chatbot.
–December 10, 2025
Charles Lopez Bruns 