Fascinating family tales, and the added photos make it all the better. But I didn't find many poems that truly engaged me although I loved some lines.Fascinating family tales, and the added photos make it all the better. But I didn't find many poems that truly engaged me although I loved some lines. A toss-up between 3 and 4 stars....more
Poetry by mostly veterans. Lots of big names and plenty of poets you've not heard of but perhaps should. I wish I had known about this collection 20 yPoetry by mostly veterans. Lots of big names and plenty of poets you've not heard of but perhaps should. I wish I had known about this collection 20 years ago, make that almost 40 years ago....more
I enjoyed this 'tale' enough to order another of Kaminsky's poetry books, "Dancing in Odessa".
I like the concept and execution of this collection. SoI enjoyed this 'tale' enough to order another of Kaminsky's poetry books, "Dancing in Odessa".
I like the concept and execution of this collection. Some of the lines and images are excellent. Not typical of most poetry for certain, and yet not simply clever for its own sake.
I love reading Billy Collins. I know many detractors but I like him! I enjoyed this volume immensely.
One must be in synch with a poet to enjoy their wI love reading Billy Collins. I know many detractors but I like him! I enjoyed this volume immensely.
One must be in synch with a poet to enjoy their work. If you are unable to connect with even an excellent poet, their words and imagery will fall flat. Reading poetry is personal. Perhaps the appeal of Collins is that he connects with a broader spectrum of readers than most authors.
Collins has a knack of making the reader look at things differently, as in the first poem of this book, "Vanishing Point". For me, that knack is his the appeal....more
Just finished this book. It's good. "Politics of the Minotaur" is filled with good poems. I have highlighted numerous poems. Good, yes, but none trulyJust finished this book. It's good. "Politics of the Minotaur" is filled with good poems. I have highlighted numerous poems. Good, yes, but none truly captured me. I like the way Morton thinks, and I wish I could be kinder. But four stars is pretty good.
NOTE to readers of the print version of this book: This is the smallest font I have seen in a book of poetry. When I was younger and my eyes better, I had a set of 1885 Encyclopedia Britannica. The font in this book is about that size. ...more
Entertaining but not enthralling. Le does an excellent job of making her rhymes flow seamlessly, and "Six Rivers" has several noteworthy poems but I dEntertaining but not enthralling. Le does an excellent job of making her rhymes flow seamlessly, and "Six Rivers" has several noteworthy poems but I did not connect with most of them....more
I ordered this while reading Gold's "Working Vocabulary". "Dog Throwers" is a earlier book (by about a dozen years) but I found these poems to be bettI ordered this while reading Gold's "Working Vocabulary". "Dog Throwers" is a earlier book (by about a dozen years) but I found these poems to be better. I am more impressed with this volume vs the later one, and not just for the catchy title. The stories within the poems, whether around his areas of NYC or out on the road drew me in. Sometimes their sameness (to my life) resonated with me, sometimes their differences resonated. An appealing read. Well worth your consideration....more
Szymborsaka's style doesn't appeal to me much, especially the earlier poems. Nevertheless, she creates some fascinating images within her poetry. The Szymborsaka's style doesn't appeal to me much, especially the earlier poems. Nevertheless, she creates some fascinating images within her poetry. The poetry itself is filled with parenthetical asides, alternate possibilities and repetition (the style thing I mentioned). The later poems tackle subjects in interesting and different ways. (Funeral, Hatred, In Praise of My Sister) There's much to like here but no real wowzers. Still, the Nobel committee found her work worthy of praise and all poets need to expose themselves to as much variety as possible. It's all good, you may even find it great....more
A pleasant book with poems from, seemingly, a trucker. Book has no bio. Only 100 copies printed.
Three stars may be a stretch but these poems and theirA pleasant book with poems from, seemingly, a trucker. Book has no bio. Only 100 copies printed.
Three stars may be a stretch but these poems and their author have a heart. Plus the more local the poet, the greater my leniency in review. The more accolades and prizes, the harder I rate....more
A few that stick out in this volume: • "Fleeing the Oklahoma Panhandle in Summer" a wonderful ekphrastic comparing Lot fleeing Sodom to a family statiA few that stick out in this volume: • "Fleeing the Oklahoma Panhandle in Summer" a wonderful ekphrastic comparing Lot fleeing Sodom to a family station wagon trip. (You'd just have to read it!) • "Hymn for a Dead Battery" another family, another car, another comparison as lives slide past. • "Calling Out" a woman searches for her deaf dog. Funny and sad, transcending the easy laugh. • "The Window Break" is an interesting take on a cracked window. • "Retirement Speech" is a corker!
Paul Bowers book, "The Lone, Cautious, Animal Life", is a mixed bag. It has many fascinating lines. The book contains many poems that did not interestPaul Bowers book, "The Lone, Cautious, Animal Life", is a mixed bag. It has many fascinating lines. The book contains many poems that did not interest me, some that did, some that are quite good. But then, most books of poetry are like that, as Martial said two thousand years ago.
I have highlighted a great number of both lines and poems. I especially like 'Late February Trees', the marvelous spousal pairing of life and death.
Another fantastic book with lots of praise from lots of people. But none of that matters if YOU don't like it. Poetry is personal. Yours is the only oAnother fantastic book with lots of praise from lots of people. But none of that matters if YOU don't like it. Poetry is personal. Yours is the only opinion that should matter to you.
As to what you may expect inside, "The Color of Gods" begins with poems about writing poetry, then some slightly contemplative poems, followed by a section of narrative poems, a section of poems that are a bit surreal, and ending with lightly humorous poems. Quite a variety. ...more
Brian Turner has hit three home runs in a row. I was slower to warm to "The Dead Peasant's Handbook" than to the first two in this trilogy and that feBrian Turner has hit three home runs in a row. I was slower to warm to "The Dead Peasant's Handbook" than to the first two in this trilogy and that feeling of adequate but not wonderful lasted, except for a few, for more than half the book. But in the last third Turner swings for the bleachers and connects. (Sorry for the baseball metaphors. I'm not a fan but apparently Turner is, as are several local poets that I follow)
In some ways, Turner seems to channel his wife, poet Ilyse Kusnetz, in these new books. His poetry has grown, changed since his first two books of poetry. Of course, those were published 13 and 18 years ago so change would be expected. But nevertheless, there is a new perspective at work behind this author now. Great stuff!...more
Wonderful poetry. Not quite as good, perhaps, as the first book in this trilogy, "The Wild Delight of Wild Things". Yet in some ways more personal witWonderful poetry. Not quite as good, perhaps, as the first book in this trilogy, "The Wild Delight of Wild Things". Yet in some ways more personal with details about the poet as a boy, about his brother, his uncle mother. The life that brought him to his true love, Ilyse, I guess.
Of course, there are good poems and great lines within but I would "The Goodbye World Poem" five stars for one single poem, 'Falling Giants', an amazing extended metaphor about Turner losing his wife, poet Ilyse Kusnetz, to cancer. A masterful, astonishing poem!
I always have room on my bookshelf for this poet....more
A magnificent love song and tribute to Turner's wife. But much more than that. "The Wild Delight of Wild Things" contains some astonishing poems filleA magnificent love song and tribute to Turner's wife. But much more than that. "The Wild Delight of Wild Things" contains some astonishing poems filled with precision, science, love, feeling, imaginative leaps, and amazing imagery folding softly into itself and unfolding to the throne of God and beyond. This is the reason I read poetry!
I had previously considered Turner a 'war poet' but with this volume he extends his range far beyond any single label....more
Although the poems may be well written, I could not connect with the Indian experience, the Inuit experience, or the Christian experience within "The Although the poems may be well written, I could not connect with the Indian experience, the Inuit experience, or the Christian experience within "The Book of Bearings". Some good lines and several good poems, still, I never felt engaged with the material. Who we are creates how we react, so your reading may be an intense or profound engagement. I hope it is....more
I am impressed with the poetry of Gail Henderson. Excellent work from a poet who stopped writing and is now rediscovering her art. Numerous poems in tI am impressed with the poetry of Gail Henderson. Excellent work from a poet who stopped writing and is now rediscovering her art. Numerous poems in this volume are excellent. If you are interested in classical mythology, you are in for a treat. Many of these poems reference the lives of the gods and demi-gods of various mythologies. Other poems ponder death and desire. Heartily recommended. I began with Henderson's half of the book and have not yet read Bagley. I will update my review once I complete the first half of this book. - 23.Feb.24
The first half of "Undying", the Bagley half, cannot compare to the second. The collection of poems are grouped in such strange order, mythology, whiny love poems, semi-horror poems, space travel. The order determined by alphabetizing the poem titles. The Henderson half does this as well but her poems are more homogenous and, thus, not so much WTF. And the poems in the first half are not great. There are some good lines but I almost dreaded each time I picked up the book to read. But Bagley's genres are not my genres so we began without much common ground, whereas I felt instantly aligned with Henderson.
Five stars for the 2nd half, 1-2 stars for the 1st. - 02.Mar.24...more
Good narrative poems from a life with tales to tell.
Jones favors long lines! The longest I recall reading so the 7x10 format works in his favor.
I esGood narrative poems from a life with tales to tell.
Jones favors long lines! The longest I recall reading so the 7x10 format works in his favor.
I especially enjoyed "Listening to a Late String Quartet While Flying to Philadelphia", "The Murder of the Chair", "Kind of Blue", and "In the Buddha's Belly". But "Stone Shrine" is my favorite in this collection....more
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