A remarkable sequence of poems bound together by a posture of oblique autobiography, which goes far beyond being merely confessional. These poems shift back and forth between the first and third person, and between levels of involvement in the events, situations, and states-of-mind that serve as context for what is at hear a movement toward cohesiveness within a process of change and loss, of knowing and feeling. A poem from the series "Water Shard Night" illustrates some of these qualities: "Unblemished by cigarette or exudate of denial--I am/ paid to sing like this, every note reminds me I've lost you;/ under paralleled spaces in our roaming, desiring gasps/ phrasing not music pearls beryls sapphires agates/ mistures of unprecious to inlay ceremonial life-in-/ wartime--your eyes flutter down drinking wines."
Apparently an hors-de-commerce limited edition--it is to be hoped that the publisher will make more than 42 copies of this excellent book available.--John M. Bennett
This review originally appeared in TapRoot Reviews #5,
Contact the editor, luigi-bob drake, at Burning Press
Copyright Burning Press 1994, 1996.