From the specific to the universal, Hilary Menos' Vox Wah Wah

The act of reading Vox Wah Wah (New Walk Editions, 2026), Hilary Menos’ recent pamphlet, provokes wider questions, Through them, the specific is found opening an invitation to the universal, which is perhaps a useful analogy for Menos’ approach to poetry.

In these twenty-one poems, Menos is certainly specific in many ways. To start with, they’re absolutely littered with proper nouns, from the names of guitars, groups, songs and concert venues to the man, Andy, whose implicit presence course through them. One such example is ‘Used & Vintage’. It begins as follows…

His first was a Fender Squier made in Japan
which he part-ex’d at Mansons in Exeter for an Epiphone
which he traded for a pretty little Rickenbacker Jetglo
which he swapped for half a car and a Gibson Les Paul Studio
which he lost to the drummer in a late-night drunken bet…

This isn’t a list poem. It’s a sequence of experiences that portray Andy’s passion for the instrument and the music that he plays.

However, the closing lines confirm extra layers…

…the sap settling in sweeter patterns the more you play
so with use and age come depth and resonance
and I look at him and think, yes.

The male’s deep feelings for guitars are juxtaposed here to the female’s deep feelings for him, allowing the reader to compare and contrast both sets of emotions. Furthermore, it also contains the revelation that an extended metaphor and analogy have been building throughout this poem, thus encouraging an immediate re-reading (which is always a good sign!).

Via specific moments, scenes and experiences, Vox Wah Wah explores extremely universal stuff. In fact, there’s an argument that this is a collection of love poetry that’s stronger for never invoking the term, exploring and pondering the nature of love both for music and for people. It’ll leave you thinking, thinking, thinking, and longing for more!