Poetry
160 pages
5 Stars
It has been many years since I've found a book of Alexi's
poetry, and when I found this I grabbed it. I was not disappointed. I was
ecstatic.
Alexie shows no fear when he writes. He isn't afraid to experiment
with words or with form. He not only combines prose with his poetry (poetry
with his prose?), he has even found a way to use footnotes! At first, I was
disconcerted with this, but as I read, I realized he had written poems within
poem! Stunningly brilliant. (It reminds me of the old Choose Your Own Adventure
series I bought my kids.)
I suggest you read the book before giving it to a child, no
matter how precocious she might be, and be prepared to discuss whatever poems
might come up in conversation, or you might be blindsided.
Alexie writes poetry for the people, not the
"intelligentsia," all of his poetry is accessible, and in this book,
he even explains a bit about how he writes. This collection is personal; it's
about fathers and sons—his father, he as father, his sons, all fathers, all
sons. There will be sadness and perhaps tears. There will also be light and
laughter, especially when his wife enters the poem.
I hope we do not need to wait so long for the next
collection.
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