ohnepty's review
4.0
this poetry collection has fallen into my life so unexpectedly and accidentally that i feel almost intimidated by how much i loved it. can't recall when was the last time i experienced "the right book at the right time" so vividly. here's one of the poems that will stay in my heart for quite some time
"THE READER
The mask was gone now, burned away
(from inside)
by God's gaze
There was no
I, there
was no he—
finally
there was no text, only
what the words stood for;
and then
what all things stand for."
"THE READER
The mask was gone now, burned away
(from inside)
by God's gaze
There was no
I, there
was no he—
finally
there was no text, only
what the words stood for;
and then
what all things stand for."
margaret_j_c's review
A phenomenal book of poems. The description calls it 'luminous' and that is just about the right word for this collection. Rarely in poetry do I find unwavering faith alongside doubt, tragedy, and depression (for good reason) but Wright's trust in God and longing for the life beyond this one make up the heart of these poems. Very moving and exquisitely well-written (seriously, cannot overstate how amazing his writing is). Will be on the lookout for more of his work.
spacestationtrustfund's review
1.0
I think converting to Catholicism is kind of like willingly signing up for a cult. Also I think Franz Wright's poetry is incredibly overrated. There was one bit that got me though, from the poem "The Choice":
Someone in Hell is sitting beside you on the train.But apart from that I wasn't a fan.
Somebody burning unnoticed walks past in the street.
redcephei's review
4.25
I love the atmosphere in a lot of the poems esp with snow. From Nightwalk, "There must be thousands of people in this city who are dying to welcome you into their small bolted rooms,to sit you down and tell you what has happened to their lives.And the night smells like snow.Walking home, for a moment you almost believe you could start again." A lot of the poems are sad and angry and religious in a way which comes off as mystical but unsure. From Father Roger Goes For a Walk, "It's the last day of somebody's childhood. And every day I'll try to do one thing I like, in memory of being happy". Man that stings. What a banger