the Kalliope: a consideration of contemporary American poetry.
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“The Mice,” by Lindsay Turner
In Lindsay Turner’s first book, Songs & Ballads, I felt like the poem used language as an imposition, or a fabric of the scene. Or there was something the poet wanted to comment on, and the language for the poem was an impetus to think about her response. Looking at the sky in “Song of…
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[they won’t see us coming], by Valerie Hsiung
It’s helpful to understand the slipperiness inherent to a Valerie Hsiung’s poem. And by slippery I mean that feeling when you think you have ahold of something, only to feel it slip out of your hands. A bar of soap. A dish you’re washing by hand. Reading [they won’t see us coming], Hsiung coaxes me…
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“3.21.2004,” by Sawako Nakayasu
Please start this close reading with some basic instructions. Not from Sawako Nakayasu. Though it would be a delight to interview Nakayasu and ask how she would like readers to prepare themselves for the pieces in her book, Texture Notes. The instructions are my suggestion, because the book is not so much “poetry” as “notes…
About this site
For many years, I’ve kept a database about poetry books, prizes, teaching positions, and literary journals. I’ve called it Kalliope, because that’s the Greek muse of epic poetry. And, well, I like thinking of the epic scope of American poetry!
And while all that data is still alive and well, I’m changing it so it’s private now. In its place, a blog! Where I’d like to relate some of my personal thoughts about poems, poetry books, literary journals, poetry criticism. Visual art. For a few years I was writing book reviews, which I loved. And then I didn’t love, because reviewing poetry books gets little respect. And every few years there’s going to be someone writing about how dumb book reviews are. Then that person’s friend will probably write something about how poetry is dying.
Consider this site an idiosyncratic aside to those conversations. I am a poet. My wife is a poet. And we are raising a daughter who has assured us she will never be a poet. I like conversations about poetry, and this site is my small contribution to those conversations.
3 SPECTACULAR POEMS