An article appeared in the November/December 2006 (29/6) issue of the Star*Line, the Journal of the Science Fiction Poetry Association, that prompted this poetry writing exercise and eventually this book. The article, suggested by Marge Simon, the editor of Star*Line at the time, was written by the association's founder and legendary, science fiction writer and poet, Suzette Haden Elgin, who just recently passed away. Simon marks Elgin's "Defining Our Horrible Terms" as "a fascinating take on" what "terror poetry" is.
Upon reading, Juan Manuel Pérez, the author of this book, found it to be quite remarkable and oddly stimulating in a very uber-horrible, creative way and in the recent line of deaths around him. This, therefore is his scholarly response to Elgin's definition of what "horror poetry" is. The hope is to come close to the very meaning described by late author (Elgin).
The final query, in response to Elgin's grand thesis is simply this: Are the poetic examples within true to her definition of "horror poetry"? Of course the success of this endeavor will rest on the satisfaction of the reader.