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abandoned in those old apple trees
unable to bear fruit in such tangled branches."
In Zen-like narratives that balance human existence, physical and spiritual longings, and emotional turmoil with natural settings and characters like quaint orchards and bothersome flies, sparsely detailed friends, and freedom-loving wild horses, the poems in this collection weave an intimate story of living, coping, loss, disease, and survival. In pieces such as “Capture Theory I” and “Lack of Memory Floor,” readers encounter a narrator struggling to understand a mother’s dementia-induced decline while, in “Capture Theory II,” reconciling with a concept that most never meet—forgiveness. “Last Call” grapples with the beautiful bitterness involved in and the intimate complications of being present during another’s passing, and “The Politics of Horses” portrays the freewill of humans with that of the natural world. Meanwhile, poignant poems such as “Over the Rainbow” reckon with a loss that is total in one sense but not in another.
The beautiful, contemplative verses in this collection capture those readers philosophically seeking truth and potential answers about death, dying, pain, grieving, and coping. The poems’ narrative structures create a familiarity, a conversation between reader and page, one that challenges readers with confessions of and admissions to perceived failures. At other points, the conversation balances difficult-to-face questions with exuded frustration amidst a struggle for an understanding of unchangeable circumstances. The narrator’s emotions are clear, tangible, and at times confusing. But most of all, they are human and relevant to times when loved ones are separated, social constructs are defied, and the future seems nearly unforeseeable. The poems in this collection are accessible to poetry readers of all ages, and it is essential reading for anyone seeking a meditative voice amidst the white noise of complexity.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review