Someone said that poems should offer the reader little surprises along the way. Perhaps you could say the same for books of poetry.
Kim Stafford’s books often have sections of poems on recurring themes: the wonders of the natural world, the influence of family, the corrosiveness of American politics. But his books also have poems that surprise, as in “What is this doing here?”
Here are six examples from Singer Come from Afar:
• “New House Rules” — It’s a list of phrases politicians use when they don’t want to hear what constituents are saying while pretending that they do.
• “Practicing the Complex Yes” — Since saying “no” cuts off conversation, here are phrases you can use to say “yes” (kind of).
• “All My Relations” — Almost every book has an acknowledgments section. This is the poetic version.
• “Poetry Doctor” — A physician is asking a poem what’s wrong. The exam involves a checklist. “Does your heart ever skip?”
• “Ostracon” — This is a series of phrases and fragments you might find scratched into pottery shards, which ancient Athenians used as ballots and notepads. “Pain is a substance, a stain.”
• “Stories from Dr. Zeus” — Imagine that we had tales of the Greek heroes told in the style of Dr. Seuss. Can you imagine Agamemnon as a toddler?
If someone asked me how to be happy, today I’d say: Buy Kim Stafford’s books and read them.
• Source: Kim Stafford, Singer Come from Afar; Pasadena, Calif.: Red Hen Press, 2021.
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