zellapaige's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
mysterious
reflective
3.75
I think this book would be enjoyed far more by someone who has ever played an instrument. Or has ever tried to learn Chinese. Because I am entirely unfamiliar with both, there are whole poems and many parts of poems that even with research I don’t think I would understand.
Poetry often has a high threshold for comprehension, but with this collection, that threshold is even higher.
Poetry often has a high threshold for comprehension, but with this collection, that threshold is even higher.
In exchange for mastery // of his instruments, it’s rumored / that Paganini made a pact // with the devil, and often / I’ve wondered what // I gave up, learning to / play guitar: something // lost, or something rendered / willingly. (“Coda: 2003”, 41)
Despite, or perhaps because of, the high comprehension threshold it is clear that these poems are incredibly well-written and meticulously edited. None of these poems follow any traditional poetic forms (as far as I can tell) but nearly all the poems meet highly rigid forms of the poet's own invention. In most cases, this rigid adherence to form lends the poems unique and intriguing cadences. In a few cases though, I am of the opinion that the rigid forms of the poems do the context of the poem a disservice. Particularly in the first section of the collection, it feels as though the poet sacrificed poetic content so that the chosen poetic form would fit the poem.
A woman told me this: / to come of age is to recognize / the myths we were taught. (“New Garden”, 55)
Stand-out poems in this collection are; “Belt: 1975”, “p—i—m—a: 2001”, “Duet in E minor: 2002”, “Leading Tone: 2002”, “Coda: 2003”, “Margin, Error”, “A Map of Shanxi”, and “人 / λ: A Redshift”. My absolute favorite poem in the collection is “Nodes”. Which I love partly because of the history lesson it contains and partly because of the craft and creative slant of the story.
robinlm's review
4.0
Full disclosure: I went to elementary/middle/some high school with Beth Rogers, so I can't say my opinion of this book is unbiased.
Also, poetry--how do you rate poetry? It's so personal.
Anyway, I really enjoyed this collection. My first reading(s) made me powerfully happy-sad, which is what I consider good poetry. Some of my favorite bits:
"A woman told me this:
to come of age is to recognize
the myths we were taught."
"It feels full,
holy--blue ridge
white with
winter,
hills lining up
in their habits
of snow."
Also, poetry--how do you rate poetry? It's so personal.
Anyway, I really enjoyed this collection. My first reading(s) made me powerfully happy-sad, which is what I consider good poetry. Some of my favorite bits:
"A woman told me this:
to come of age is to recognize
the myths we were taught."
"It feels full,
holy--blue ridge
white with
winter,
hills lining up
in their habits
of snow."
More...