Reading the Bible Backwards by Robert Priest and read by the author is a collection of poetry with a unique perspective on how we see things. Priest iReading the Bible Backwards by Robert Priest and read by the author is a collection of poetry with a unique perspective on how we see things. Priest is a literary poet in the tradition of Neruda and Mayakovsky, a composer of lush love poems, a singer-songwriter, a widely quoted aphorist, a children's poet, and novelist, Robert Priest is a mainstay of the literary/spoken word/music circuit both in Canada and abroad.
Brilliant, simply brilliant. Between Priest's lyrical style and a voice that pulls every twist out of the words, there is a fantastic synergy that is far greater than the sum of the parts. The initial subject matter may turn some readers off. Writing the New Testament in reverse or the story of Lot in reverse may seem something more in line with Anton LaVey; Priest manages to use the material to teach or instruct or provide a moral. It is something to see Lot's wife form from a pillar of salt and watch cities rise from destruction. On the other hand, he writes on the missing punctuation in the Bible, in particular, the question mark -- Thou shall not kill? Thou shall not steal?
Priest likes to change the perceptions we have been led to believe by changing one word for a very similar word -- sole for soul, angel and angle. In another poem, replacing the word children for bomb creates an entirely different response. In other poems, called meme splices, the reader will follow a familiar pattern of events until a twist is inserted.
His control of language is stunning. The rhythm, rhymes, and alliteration are used sparingly but to great effect. Having the poet read his own work offers the added advantage of the writer using his own voice inflections to highlight what he thought was most important or his meaning that is slightly hidden in words alone. One line that jumped out at me was:
Unleash the Dogs of Poetry On the murderers of language.
"Bucket List"
It is an excellent set of lines, and even more so as the author's voice seemed to emulate the late Jim Morrison.
This collection knocks at defiance's door. Even the book cover that shows the vinyl album with the book's title is reminiscent of the backward masking. If you play an album backward, you will hear a Satanic message; what happens when you play the Bible backward. Can anything good come from it? Also interesting is that part of the book was paid for by the Canadian equivalent of the National Endowment of the Arts. My thoughts were of the Maplethrope and the uproar over using tax dollars for "offensive art" or even a censorship test like Ginsberg and other authors. My thoughts of this vanished when Priest turned to love poems and ended with the song "The Bomb in Reverse." Priest is not trying to create controversy but instead deliver a message and encourage the reader to think. Reading the Bible Backwards has to be one of the most enjoyable poetry collections I have read in quite some time. There is just enough rebellion to keep it on edge and a writing style that captures the reader. Outstanding....more
Escaping the Body by Chloe N. Clark is the poet's fifth published collection of poetry. Clark is a founding Co-EIC of the literary journal Cotton XenoEscaping the Body by Chloe N. Clark is the poet's fifth published collection of poetry. Clark is a founding Co-EIC of the literary journal Cotton Xenomorph. She writes poetry and fiction, and some essays about food, mostly, but also does critical scholarship in the history of horror, gender and science fiction, monstrosity and othering, and inclusive practices in pedagogy.
Clark mentions in her introduction that Houdini is her favorite escape artist. His quotes along with those of other magicians including his namesake separate each section. The theme of escape and illusion flows through the poetry. "Missing Girl Found" consists of stanzas of various possible outcomes. First with the most feared result and then with other outcomes ranging from the missing girl is found wanting, or found beautiful, or found happy, or, or, or... Her treatment of the poems leaves a bit of mystery and fantasy with mentions of faeries and Melusine. The youthful willingness to see magic all around us is stifled by age and everyday routine. Clark uses magicians to create pathways for our escape. Those magicians come in many forms -- the actual magician, a forest, monsters, and myths. Escaping the Body is much more a return to youthful acceptance of our surroundings rather than a New Age separation of body and spirit. She relates to simple things as important and deserving of attention. We all have our "Rosebud" somewhere in our past. "Flight" seemed to be the keystone poem for me tying together much of her work.
The theme of escaping the flesh runs through the collection. The reader will also get reasons why escape is wanted in "Error Coding" and "But Also This is Why the Robots Always Turn on Us." There is a wide range to Clark's writing while keeping in her theme. At the start, I wondered if this was poetry a middle-aged male would read, but quickly I fell into the groove and enjoyed the journeys. The writing is deep and intelligently thought through. We are led to escape our personal chains and traps in much the same way as Houdini escaped his chains and straitjackets. An excellent collection of contemporary poetry that will appeal to traditional poetry lovers....more
is there a zone of darkness between all languages, a black river that swallows words and stories and transforms them? -- from "translation"
Distant Transiis there a zone of darkness between all languages, a black river that swallows words and stories and transforms them? -- from "translation"
Distant Transit by Maja Haderlap (translated from German by Tess Lewis) is a collection of poems reflecting on memories of her homeland. Haderlap is bilingual Slovenian-German Austrian writer, best known for her multiple-award-winning novel, Angel of Oblivion, about the Slovene ethnic minority's transgenerational trauma of being treated as 'homeland traitors' by the German-speaking Austrian neighbors, because they were the only ever-existing military resistance against National Socialism in Austria.
The first section of the book delivers poetry of memory and youth. Haderlap captures that idealized picture of youth and the surroundings. The region of her youth is a land of great natural beauty, but also a land of 20th Century violence and division. Her voice shifts. Her poetry demonstrates a loss of identity. In explaining borders, we learn that they mean little, just political lines, drawn through the countryside not reflective of the people. Cities and towns stand on their own without mention of nationality. Her language to communicate with the world has also been replaced. Haderlap embodies the desolation of her poetry in her words and in the lower case "i" when referring to herself.
Distraught bees buzz in the corridor of my abandon language, birds of passage purge themselves in rooms assailed and reviled as if they were finally home -- that is, there where they once were, language kept in me thrall to the world but left me unsatisfied were i to bite through it, i would taste it desolation. >
This collection, however, does not offer any insight to the poet. An introduction could have helped other readers connect with the poet and her writing. Her grandmother was sent to a concentration camp during the war and her father, as a boy, was tortured by the Nazis. These images still haunt Haderlap in her poetry. A fine collection that shows the loss of cultural identity and being left outside the new order....more
Selected Poems by Herman Gorter (translated by Lloyd Haft) is a collection of poetry from The Netherlands greatest poet, and presented for the first tSelected Poems by Herman Gorter (translated by Lloyd Haft) is a collection of poetry from The Netherlands greatest poet, and presented for the first time in English. Gorter was a Dutch poet and socialist. He was a leading member of the Tachtigers, a highly influential group of Dutch writers who worked together in Amsterdam in the 1880s, centered on De Nieuwe Gids. Haft is an American-born Dutch poet, translator, and sinologist. He has been living in the Netherlands since 1968. Haft was educated at Harvard College and Leiden University.
This is a bit like an archeologist discovering a new civilization or physicist discovering a new particle. Gorter has been mostly hid from the non- Dutch world until recently. The reason for his obscurity is because of the language he wrote. The Dutch language is filled with words that have multiple meanings (that can play on each other) and don't readily translate into English. If that is not difficult enough Gorter also liked to distort his own language to make things fit. Haft explains this in great detail in the introduction to the poems. He also tries to capture the original intent of the poems at the price of rhythm schemes. Haft also gets creative with English words that actually expand their meaning.
Verses (1890). The second section is from his political work Pan. The final section in titled Lyrics. Verses provides a welcoming introduction to Gorter's style of poetry. The words paint a complex picture of the poet's experience. Here, the reader, will see the difficulty of the task that Haft faced in this undertaking. Like Gorter, Haft had to become creative with his language. The result amazing. Haft pulls out archaic words and when that fails, he makes a few of his own -- clingleafed up and down, her golden eyes of daydawning, and the twigtrees draw back to their meager leaning. The newly coined words are poetic in themselves.
Gorter is also a man of themes. The word gold (as a metal or meaning precious) is used fifty-six times in the collection. Eyes are also used fifty-six times in the collection. The "all of All" appears twenty-five times in the collection, and has several forms but mostly it is light or the divine.
Someday you'll be one with the all of All, your golden limbs extending through the knowledges of all the shores….
This is a collection of poetry that the translator must be given a great deal of credit. It was said translating Gorter wasn't difficult, it was impossible. Gorter's words of nature and self are incredible and relayed to the reader in what must be a near perfect experience. When Gorter turns to Marxism the change is as sudden as a gunshot:
You died, And why? because you were murdered by capital But by the workers Who left you alone with your attackers.
Gorter also has a softer side for revolution. In a long four-part poem Rosa Luxembourg is Beatified in verse that rivals the Assumption of Mary. For poetry lovers looking to discover something new that rivals the greats of the past look to Gorter....more
Of This River by Noah Davis is the poets first published collection. His poems and prose have appeared in Best New Poets, Orion Magazine, North AmericOf This River by Noah Davis is the poets first published collection. His poems and prose have appeared in Best New Poets, Orion Magazine, North American Review, River Teeth Journal, Sou'wester, and Chautauqua. George Ella Lyon selected Of this River for the 2019 Wheelbarrow Emerging Poet Book Contest from Michigan State University's Center for Poetry.
Of this River stands out as an outstanding collection of contemporary poetry. The Appalachian theme that runs through the collection creates a subtle but vivid environment. Unlike many works that overstate themes, however, here the reader wades in and finds himself or herself emersed in the poetry. The water theme is nearly always present and anchors the poems together along with the short-haired girl. The connection between the water and the girl seems almost Woolfish.
The mythology that runs through the poems, although local, seems to have a Native American feel to the stories. It is very much in touch with the land rather than a being. A stunning collection that connects, explores, expresses life in the remote setting....more
An interesting collection of poems that lead up something I was not expecting. Steeeeve an descriptive early poem in the book that sets the stage for An interesting collection of poems that lead up something I was not expecting. Steeeeve an descriptive early poem in the book that sets the stage for later poems. I started by doing what I do quite a bit with books of poetry. I opened the book to a random page and read the poem there. I opened to "Crush". I thought this should be good. I read it, felt a bit confused and read it again. "Oh, I get it!"
Poems about childhood and coming to age with some discovery on the way. Written chronologically the poems take you the poets early life. I won't say what that discovery is, but it well worth the read. If you know who Frank Kelly is, then you know the discovery. If you don't, like me, well you learn as you read. It is a Very well done and tastefully done too. A book that can be enjoyed by the vast majority readers....more
I really didn't know what to expect from book of poetry on retirement. I hit fifty this year, and retirement is something much more on my mind today tI really didn't know what to expect from book of poetry on retirement. I hit fifty this year, and retirement is something much more on my mind today than it was twenty-five years ago and something I hope to be enjoying within the next twenty fives years.
The book is divided into four sections: Spirit, Mind, Body, and the author's notes. The three sections break down very well the idea and thoughts of retirement. The Author's Notes provide insight to the poems and the authors thoughts and ideas in prose. I found this quite useful and enlightening.
One thing I found is that the normal flow of how I read poetry did not seem to work; the usual flow and speed just did not seem to work. Rather I found it much better to read a few words, pause and move to the next line instead of trying to flow things together. If you read the poems in the way that you imagine an retired person to speak... no hurry, no urgency, but slow well thought out ideas with an educated pause between each thought, everything comes together well. Remember you are not reading a young poet who thinks he has everything to tell. You are reading a mature poet who knows what exactly to tell and what to leave out.
The topics vary and contrast. From online poker playing to ocean surfing. The choice between the black path and the white path. To the cheesy "Big 6-0". Grady Means pulls together a variety of messages and feelings about retirement and the sudden loss of a lifetime of routine. Endgame is a good collection of poetry mainly for those approaching retirement age. Those in retirement already know it, those in their twenties and thirties don't think that far in to the future.
All in all a very good collection on the the subject being covered. Endgame may not be for everyone, yet but it will be soon enough....more
The Day of Shelly's Death: The Poetry and Ethnography of Grief by Renato Resaldo is one man's account of the death of his wife while in the PhilippineThe Day of Shelly's Death: The Poetry and Ethnography of Grief by Renato Resaldo is one man's account of the death of his wife while in the Philippines. Resaldo is a graduate of Harvard and professor emeritus at Stanford. He currently teaches at New York University. Rosaldo is a a leading cultural anthropologist with several published books including Ilongot Headhunting: 1883-1974: A Study in Society and History published in 1980. He was conducting further field research when he lost his wife in an accident. His wife, Shelly, also an anthropologist studied the Ilongots. They were working together in country with their two sons in 1981 when she became victim to a tragic accident.
The Day is a book the center mostly on a single event and a single day. The day Resaldo lost his wife: October 11, 1981. The collection of poems are moving and heartfelt. Resaldo not only tells his story but tells the story through the eyes of others who were involved both before and after the event. He recalls the coin toss that fateful day. One of their children was sick and he and Shelly tossed a coin to see who would stay back with the children. He stayed. The pedal taxi driver who who offered him a ride as a gift when he heard that Shelly died. There is a poem where his children tell their experience. The cliff where Shelly fell also writes of the experience. Resaldo writes all these views and puts them into free verse. The verse is not always free flowing, but seems halting at times, like someone talking through a very emotional event. It is, but it is also reflecting the poetry writing years later. The Philippine natives speak as English is their second language. This is also captured very well in the poetry with with noun and verb agreement and placement. Resaldo does an excellent job capturing the environment and the people; that should come as no surprise for a leading anthropologist.
Each chapter begins with a simple introduction followed by the poems. The second part of the book is an essay called “Notes on Poetry and Ethnography” in which Resaldo explains why and how he came to write the poems. In addition the reader will gain some education on ethnography and how it is used in the book.
This collection may not give the flow and feel of traditional poetry; it is not Wordworth or Keats. It does, however, accomplish what poetry is meant to accomplish: It recreates the day. The feelings of the author. The feelings of the people directly and indirectly involved in the event. It creates powerful experiences using words and makes the reader experience these emotions. All in all an outstanding work and a tribute....more
The Mountains Belong to Me by Linda Dickert is a collection of nature based poetry. Dickert does not have much of a public profile. What I can gather The Mountains Belong to Me by Linda Dickert is a collection of nature based poetry. Dickert does not have much of a public profile. What I can gather is that she lives or lived in the Smokey Mountains and is a dog lover. Perhaps the most important piece of information is that all proceeds from this collection are being donated Spark Companions a non-profit organization that helps pay vet bills for those in need. Sparky, is the the name of her deceased pit bull.
The poems are in the same vein as Pope's pastoral poems or Frost's New England take on the outdoors. Dickert is the Smokey Mountain version of the pastoral. She looks at the seasons and natures reaction to the changes. She writes of the stars and dreams and the purity of nature:
Maybe this is why the storm is so grand to clear pollution and force renewal of the terrain as is this magnificent mountain morning.
From the stars in the sky, to squirrels running in the forest, Dickert manages to capture the wildlife and sense of freedom in the rugged outdoors. She writes of balance in nature:
They take from the forest what is needed And leave it as they found it. To create Balance in nature that Humans can only imagine.
Halfway through the book she introduces the reoccurring theme of dogs. Not just her dogs, Sparky and Fiona, but all dogs. She writes of all dogs from a hungry abandon puppy to pit bull rescues. There is much emotion written into her words. You can feel the look in the stray dog's eyes.
The Mountains contains poems of imagery and feeling. It is easy to picture her words of an early sprouting of tulips and daffodils pushing up through the January snow. For those who live were there is a distinctive winter and spring, the words will give vivid imagery of an experience and it will remind those of us who used to live in cooler climates of childhood experiences.
I remember growing up where we all seemed a bit closer to nature, even the city dwellers. I may not have had the Smokey Mountains, but I did have a large, forested park with streams and wildlife. Today, I am lucky to have a “Greenstrip” – a strip of land undesirable for commercial use, planted with grass. It's not a park. It's not nature. It's just a sanitized strip of grass calling out for a book like The Mountains to remind us of what we used to have.
A very nice collection of poetry and memories....more
William Poe's collection of poetry called Myths and Rhymes was part of his rehab recovery process. Poe creates interesting and unique lines that bringWilliam Poe's collection of poetry called Myths and Rhymes was part of his rehab recovery process. Poe creates interesting and unique lines that bring together his drug problems and coming to terms with his sexuality. There is some of the disjointedness (in a good way) that reminds me of William S. Burroughs, but with the additional layer of escaping from what he calls a cult, the Unification Church. There are many references to Adam and Eve, references to Sodom, Greek Mythology, vague drug references, and throw in some science, even particle physics.
God is heard in new quarks strange charm
Several poems seem to bring everything together. What Else is There, ties religion and drugs with a false Hollywood view. Don't Be Ashamed, (quoted above) blend science and religion and play Adam and atom together.
You can feel the emotion in the poems and come to see his search for meaning. At times it is chaotic, and other times it flows smoothly. Much as I can imagine rehab to be, painful, clouded, wanting, and some few moments of clarity. This collection of poems is well worth reading if the subject matter interests or if you shared the same trials. If you are looking for Keats, Byron, or Coleridge, this is not for you....more
“A man wants to earn money in order to be happy, and his whole effort and the best of a life are devoted to the earning of that money. Happiness is fo“A man wants to earn money in order to be happy, and his whole effort and the best of a life are devoted to the earning of that money. Happiness is forgotten; the means are taken for the end.” ―Albert Camus, The Myth of Sisyphus and Other Essays
Job Loss: A Journey in Poetry by Donna Marie Merritt is part of the trilogy Poetry for Tough Times. Merritt is also the author of several children's books, fifteen of which have won awards for math and science content. She has earned a Bachelor's Degree in Education from Central Connecticut University and a Masters of Science Degree in Psychology from the same university. She can be found at http://www.donnamariebooks.com/
Job Loss, much like What's Wrong with Ordinary takes on real life events and problems and creates meaningful poetry. From the opening poem “Box”, packing your personal belongings under the watchful eye of supervisors before being escorted to the door; to the box that has become home to many people at work –the cubicle, the reader is taken through the pain and the uncertainty of losing one's job and the process of finding another. Rejection letters, no replies, and finally that job, that isn't what you want, not what you need, but seemingly the only thing out there. Finally the realization that it is time for a change.
Merritt does an outstanding job capturing the feelings and despair of losing one's job. Reading Job Loss took me back to when I lost my high paying job in project management and had much the same worries and fears. How could I be out of work with my experience and education. Only 8% of the population have a master's degree... I should be at the top of the hiring list. I realized that it was time for a change, too. I became a bicycle mechanic. Not, the greatest paying job, but it gave me something I didn't have before: Time to stay healthy, time to read (and write reviews), and time to enjoy life. Perhaps happiness is not making money but reading and writing poetry.
I was instantly taken in with What's Wrong with Ordinary last year and equally taken in by Job Loss this year. Merritt has a knack for capturing life events with beautiful and meaningful words. Unlike so many poetry collections of modern life, Merritt does not fall into cliches or forced rhymes or trying to make make something into poetry against its will, so to speak. Her writing is different. Rather than describing life in poetry, she is a poet describing life and it shows in her work. I get more than my share of free books to review and rarely need to order a books, but I have ordered her latest book, Her House and look forward to reading it....more
Moonchild’s Smile by Marat M’saev Daan (translated by Tanja Mitric) is a collection of Serbian poetry. There is little information on the web, in EnglMoonchild’s Smile by Marat M’saev Daan (translated by Tanja Mitric) is a collection of Serbian poetry. There is little information on the web, in English, about the author. His official biography simple states that he is Serbian and describes life, people, and events in unusual ways. He sees things as one would view a chess board with different strategies that better transfer his thoughts and feelings.
To set the stage for Moonchild’s Smile a word or two on free verse and poetry in general for the non-poetry reading public. Poetry is something you get or you don’t and not to worry it isn’t for everyone. It is alright to like some poems and dislike others even in the same collection. Poetry is comes in many fashions far exceeding the rhyming couplets or iambic meter drilled into your head in high school. Years ago I probably would have looked at at Moonchilds Smile and said Poetry? Really? Free verse has a reputation of being on the outside looking in on poetry. Robert Frost said free verse was like playing tennis without a net. However times change and poetry has grown to accept free verse, but many people outside the scholarly circles may be hesitant to recognize it. Poetry also is about more than pastoral scenes or Kubla Khan’s pleasure dome. It has evolved to speak of politics, life, and the problems of the urban environment. We don’t have to look much farther than Bob Dylan and Hip-Hop to see free verse in our everyday life.
My copy of Moonchild’s Smile has been translated from Serbian. Probably the only job harder than writing poetry is translating it. Not only are you translating the words, you are translating vision and emotion. Recently the new English translation of Camus’ The Stranger came under some controversy over the use of the imformal mamam instead of mother. That one word’s translation caused a huge change in meaning and understanding the main character’s mindset. Scholars have studied it for years and still seem to be at odds. In Moonchild’s Smile we have a single translation so no comparisons can be made. Regardless of the expertise of the translator, to convey the poet’s original thoughts in another language and remain true to the poet’s vision it a monumental task.
Marks in the sand, slowly vanishing with new waves. A walk on the beach, as a reminder of the disappearing past and the future bound to leave its marks yet.
Moonchild’s Smile overcomes the difficulties of translation and the doubts over free verse. This is poetry and this is good. Daan captures the essence of poetry and leaves little doubt of the legitimacy of free verse. Mitric’s translation leaves no doubt in her ability to relay the author’s vision in English. “Smiles in a Mirror” captures the little things in life. Daan captures the little things in life and with many things he also sees cycles. Cycles of life and death, cycles like the waves erasing marks on the beach, cycles of the devil and good. Some of his work also reflects the violence his country experienced in the 1990s and the effect it had on the children.
Moonchild’s Smile is a short collection of poems, but it is a detailed read. The lines are meant to be read slowly, absorbed, and visualized. There is a difficulty level with this poetry that will take a commitment from the reader. The author’s use of a chess board as an example of how he sees his thought process plays true to his writing. It is complex and much more cerebral than most contemporary poetry. Daan does live up to the expectations of a poet and the translation seems to convey the his feelings to another culture. Very well done.
Author Alliance Book Reviewer Joseph Spuckler gives this book 4 Stars!...more
St. Peter’s B-List edited by Mary Ann B. Miller is a collection of Catholic based poetry from a variety of poets. The idea is to capture the essence oSt. Peter’s B-List edited by Mary Ann B. Miller is a collection of Catholic based poetry from a variety of poets. The idea is to capture the essence of the Catholic experience through poetry. The poets are not necessarily Catholic but convey the basic tenets of the faith. Some of the poems are overtly Catholic and others convey the idea much more subtily.
I was raised a Catholic and attended Catholic schools for six years, not including graduate school. Many of the poems reflected the what I learned way back when. For the most part it was a pleasant journey to a past I left behind long ago. The poems about saints brought back some memories, while others tended to be humorous like “Ode to St. Barbara of the Barbara Shoppe”. “Spokes” particularly appealed to me as someone who builds bicycle wheels for a living.. The thought that thin wires hold us up as we ride our bike is compared to the thin rays of light from Christ’s heart and the halos of saints.
… I see bicycle spokes, spokes of mercy holding us up, keeping us from falling, supporting us as we spin through these dark streets, glimmers of light above.
A very nice analogy. Not all the poms are enlightening and happy some are a bit darker. With over one hundred poems, anyone who has even been Catholic will find more than a few poems that will bring back memories. Current Catholics will find plenty of poems that support their faith. The collection is divided into three sections: Family and Friends, Faith and Worship, and Sickness and Death. A nice insight into things Catholic for poetry readers, Catholics, and those who are curious. ...more
Myself and Some Other Being: Wordsworth and the Life Writing by Daniel Robinson is a study of, for the most part, Wordsworth and the creation of “The Myself and Some Other Being: Wordsworth and the Life Writing by Daniel Robinson is a study of, for the most part, Wordsworth and the creation of “The Prelude”. Robinson earned his BA in English from James Madison University, and he earned his Masters and PhD from the University of South Carolina. Robinson is currently a Professor of English at Widener University in Chester, Pennsylvania. His area of expertise is British Romanticism and rock and roll. Robinson is also the bass player and singer/songwriter for, the aptly named, Milton and the Devil’s Party. http://danielrobinson.org/category/mi...
It has been years, decades more like it, since I thought of Wordsworth or Coleridge. I do, though, enjoy British Victorian writers -- Virginia Woolf in particular. The last experience I had with Wordsworth came as an undergraduate. An over zealous English professor contributed all good in the world to English Literature; and all evil to the French, German, Russian, and especially American Literature. I mistakenly mentioned poetry in the modern world, Jim Morrison was the example I used. I was immediately scolded for trying to compare a drug addict to the greatness of Wordsworth or Coleridge. I responded, “Wasn’t Coleridge an opium addict?” That got me branded a heretic, because that (addiction) was something entirely different. My final error was writing a paper on T.S. Eliot's Wasteland from a post World War I historical perspective, instead of citing fertility rituals. As a history major I wasn’t too worried about the class, but that was the only “C” I received in college. I gave up on poetry for a long time after that. English literature took a back seat to Russian Literature and was considered to be part of the dust bin of literature, in my mind. Eventually, through Patti Smith, I was brought back into poetry by her work, which lead me to Rimbaud. I eventually read Blake and Byron with caution, knowing I was drifting into an area I believed was poison. I really liked Blake and Byron and Shelley too. So, I figured after all these years, I should give Wordsworth a try, again.
I frequently use rock/punk rock references in my reviews. After being shot down for doing so as an undergraduate, I was surprised when reading Myself and Some Other Being to come across the name “Morrissey.” I was even more surprised to see it was the same Morrissey of Smiths fame. A little further along I read a reference to Roy Orbison and another to The Boss, Bruce Springsteen. Still another reference to Wordsworth and Coleridge as being the Lennon and McCartney; this is the duo that wanted to top Milton. Here is everything but calling Wordsworth punk rock, I thought, until I read, “The epic poet is the archetypical badass.” Yeah, Wordsworth was the Lou Reed of his day.
Myself and Some Other Being is more about the writing than the writer. There is discussion of Wordsworth’s themes of memory and imagination. Memory is important because a poem cannot be written when the emotion is experienced, but emotions like wine need time to mature. Memory can also help us reconnect to the happier freer times of our youth, as written in “Tintern Abbey.” One thing that greatly impressed me and still does is the idea that experience changes our perceptions:
Yet, as Wordsworth asserts, we can go back to the same place (or poem) but we can never have the same experience because we are not the same. The place (or poem) may not change but we do. In this way memory always involves loss -- because our past becomes, in effect, imaginary, nonmaterial inventory. So does one’s former self.
The majority of the book is Wordsworth’s work on “The Prelude” an autobiographical multi-volume poem of his personal development as a writer. I get the feeling that although partnered, in writing, with Coleridge, he did not feel he was the equal or maybe even being a worthy subject of a massive autobiography of his maturation as a poet. Coleridge seemed to steal the show with “Rime of the Ancient Mariner” and “Kubla Khan.” Maybe Wordsworth knew more than he let on about where he felt he was career-wise. Maybe another British rock duo may be just as appropriate as Lennon and McCartney. In keeping with the rock theme, maybe Wordsworth was the David Gilmour to Coleridge’s Roger Waters. Water’s wrote the entire album “The Wall” except for the one song that was a hit, and the one everyone knows, “Comfortably Numb,” which was written by Gilmour. Wordsworth was wanting his "hit" to be “The Recluse”, which unfortunately he never finished and quite frankly didn’t need it as a high mark of his writing.
Wordsworth life was interesting from happy childhood memories to being embarrassed at being too “country” at Cambridge. He supported working class values and hated aristocratic privilege. At Cambridge, he worked as well as studied on what today would be a work study program. Although work allowed him to attend school, it further lowered his standing among students of privilege. He supported the French Revolution, but hated the results -- overthrowing a king to crown an emperor. In 1843 he reluctantly accepted the position as Queen Victoria’s Poet Laureate. "The Prelude" was printed just months after his death by his sister.
This new appreciation for Wordsworth has overturned most of my hard feelings as an undergraduate. It isn’t often that a book can change long held beliefs and even less often when that was not the author’s intent. Myself and Some Other Being: Wordsworth and the Life Writing is well written and an excellent book on what it is to be a writer. It also covers enough of Wordsworth life and experiences to bring everything together rather nicely. I am leaving this experience with a much greater appreciation of Wordsworth as a man, a writer, and a rock star of his time. An Excellent read.
Haiti where negritude rose to its feet for the first time and said it believed in its own humanity; and the comic little tail of Florida where they arHaiti where negritude rose to its feet for the first time and said it believed in its own humanity; and the comic little tail of Florida where they are just finishing strangling a negro; Africa gigantically caterpillaring as far as the Spanish foot of Europe; the nakedness of Africa where the scythe of Death swings wide.
Return to my Native Land by Aime Cesaire a single poem by the African activist. Cesaire was born in the French Caribbean country of Martinique. He earned a scholarship to Lycee Louis-le-Grand, created the literary review L'Etudiant Noir. Cesaire returned to Martinique in 1939 and taught at Lycee Schoelcher. One of his students would play an important role in the French colony of Algeria, Frantz Fanon. Cesaire played a role in his country's politics as a member of the Communist Party and later forming the Parti Progressiste Martinuqais.
Cesaire started writing Return to my Native Land (Cahier d'un retour au pays natal) in 1936 while while still in France. As a single poem it is rather long, but as a book it is short. Cesaire captures his feelings and emotions on returning to his home country after studying in France. Martinique is small. It covers 436 square miles and supports a population well under half a million people. Its history is typical of a Caribbean colony. Its native people were beaten down and expelled from the island. They are replaced with African slaves to work the new sugar plantations. The island changes hands from Spain in 1493 to the French in 1635, to the British during the Seven Years War and the Napoleonic Wars, and returned back to the French. The island suffered as a single commodity, sugar, economy which eventually lead to the freeing of the slaves in 1848. In 1946 Martinique became an Overseas Department of France and finally simply a department in 1974. It still relies heavily on French aid.
Cesaire was active in government and a communist for sometime. Some explanation communist is needed to understand exactly what it meant at the time. Countries like Martinique were under colonial rule and had little if any autonomy as a nation. There was also the much the same problems with the inhabitants of African descent after slavery ended, much the same as in the United States. The enlightened act of freeing the slaves was not followed up with assurances of liberty, equality, and fraternity. Cesaire makes this clear with the use of the derogatory term for a black man. Communism, as an ideal, took root in these environments. The promise of removing the yoke of colonial powers and the equality it promised all men was quite enticing. Here you have people who are being exploited and controlled by power thousands of miles away under a system called capitalism. To these people capitalism is not working so that simple leaves the alternative system. Their concerns are local and not exporting world wide revolution. They simply desired freedom.
Once you get a feel for the setting, which is very foreign for many, Cesaire's words take on new meanings and a cause. It is not difficult to see the similarity in Cesaire and Fanon. Their styles differ the sledgehammer of Fanon and the velvet hammer Cesaire, but both seek to find identity beyond colonialism. Cesaire write in a mix of prose and poetry all of it lyrical in rhythm and surreal. At times I felt as if I was on a raft in the ocean rocking on the rhythm and intensities of Cesaire's voice. The poem has a great feel to it that helps convey the pointed political and cultural messages. The lyrical feel reminded of reading the leaves of grass. You can lose yourself simply in the rhythm on the words. Here though, the message is as important as the art. Cesaire is more than just a voice calling for justice or the voice of protest. He is a French and captures that particular style that makes French poetry unique.
His literary style is classified as negritude a rejection of colonial racism and a term developed by Cesaire. He purposely chose to use the root Negre, the French equivalent to the American word “n*gger.” He took it as a proud title. Sarte said negritude is the Hegelian dialectic to racism. This is an interesting and unique look into colonial life and racism in a country other than America. Ceasaire writing is impressive. Berger and Bostock's translation seems to be spot on. Steerforth Press has done a great service re-releasing this translation. The only thing that would have made it better would be a more detailed introduction for those without the historical background....more
...I value freedom; and have never expected freedom to be anything less than indecent. e.e. cummings
E.E. Cummings: A Life by Susan Cheever is a biograp...I value freedom; and have never expected freedom to be anything less than indecent. e.e. cummings
E.E. Cummings: A Life by Susan Cheever is a biography of the American poet, Cheever is a graduate of Brown University, a Guggenheim Fellow, and director of the board of the Yaddo Corporation. She currently teaches in the MFA program at Bennington College and the New School. Cheever is the author of over a dozen books, including American Bloomsbury.
The book is short for a biography of a man with a long history, but it concentrates on the high and low points and avoids the lulls that are found in longer biographies. The life story, however, seems to be complete. Cheever met Cummings when she was still in school. Cummings was performing a lecture and reading at the Masters School. Her father was friends with the poet. The young Cheever was impressed by Cummings anti- established opinions. At that time, his work was compared to Marcel Duchamp’s “Nude Descending a Staircase.” The comparison is more than subject matter, but style. Duchamp attempts to capture the entire descent down the staircase, start to finish, in a single image and Cummings attempts to capture the same effect with words. It was at Cumming’s suggestion to her father that Cheever was moved from her uptight school to a very progressive one.
Rather than summarize Cumming’s life in this review, I will look at something Cheever does in the book. Late in the book Cheever compares Cummings to Wordsworth. Wordsworth’s love for the outdoors, “Tintern Abbey” for example, and Cumming’s Joy Farm. Both men idolized youth and saw that youth had a purity that was missing later in life. I also found a few parallels myself. Both men had daughters out of wedlock and were separated from them. Both men traveled a great deal for their time and class. Also, both men had a negative view of the establishment. Wordsworth support for the Republican movement in France, but was abhorred the Reign of Terror and the subsequent crowning of an emperor. Cummings also had his problems with authority and the establishment that went much further than youthful rebellion. Much like Wordsworth, revolution excited Cummings. He wanted to see the paradise that the Soviet Union had become, but left disillusioned. Cummings became disenchanted with many things in his life he hated Jews and he hated Hitler. He hated Roosevelt and he hated Stalin. He was an equal opportunity hater.
E.E. Cummings: A Life is a well researched and well written biography of one of America most read poets. Cheevers captures the life and the mind of the poet. Like most writers of his time he lived an exciting life, filled with controversy, alcohol, and prescription drugs. His life can be compared to that of a modern rock star. The highs and lows of fame. He had the groupies and the crowds. And like very few rock stars he was able to rise above the moment of fame and produce a lasting work and a lasting name. ...more
Previously Feared Darkness by Robert Priest is his latest collection of poetry. Priest, also known as Dr. Poetry on CBC's Wordbeat has a popular folloPreviously Feared Darkness by Robert Priest is his latest collection of poetry. Priest, also known as Dr. Poetry on CBC's Wordbeat has a popular following and professionally recognized. His has work is has received air play and he has published a number of children's CDs of songs and poems. Priest has also written ten books of poetry for adults. The Toronto Star accurately calls Priest's work “Passionate, cocky alternately adoring and insulting verse.”
Priest is an interesting poet to say the least. He is hard to pin down. “All the Information in the Sun” starts with the promise of science. The title reminded me of one the latest quantum theories that information cannot be lost in the universe...much like matter and energy. I thought this will be interesting. But no sooner than I turned on my scientific mind, I come to Waistland, a play on T.S. Eliot and a irreverent poem on obesity. From there to Aztechs, a poem on modern wars and warfare tying it back to Quetzalcoatl's blood lust. Priest rotates his poems through a mix of themes keeping the reader interested and slightly off guard not knowing what to expect next. The science is refreshing, good, and even humorous:
Jinx
Einstein and Heidelberg both said “There's no simultaneity over vast distances” at exactly the same time.
Perhaps as a tribute to Martin Amis we are taken on a journey through John Lennon's life... in reverse. “Rights Left” reads a military cadence call and with clever plays on words brings us to a modern day concern for our individual rights. Equally alarming is Priest's interpretation of Book of Job(s) carried into the modern times. And yes, many will take offense and the more cynical of us will nod with understanding. Perhaps, if the “Book of Jobs” did not offend enough, maybe learning the true meaning of Churchill's “V” for victory sign will do it. If your modesty still hasn't driven you away, you should safely be able to navigate your way through the memes unscathed, maybe.
Priest manages to combine science and social issues with what some will call the profane. I see it as combination of brilliant and a punk rock attitude. Sometimes his message is clear and other times its hidden in the brashness of words. It's easy to why he is so popular. He doesn't shock for the sake of shocking, like the Sex Pistols, but does it to deliver a message like Lou Reed's “Last Great American Whale”. Sometimes people need to be pushed into thinking. I thoroughly enjoyed this collection and I am going to actively look for his other collections. Previously Feared Darkness may not be for everyone, but I find it to be absolutely brilliant....more
Loading...
