Poetry Books

Lyn Lifshin, Before It's Light: New Poems (Black Sparrow, 1999)

Lyn Lifshin is one of those poets who just keeps getting better as she gets older. She spent years, it always seemed to me, trying to be a sort of imagist Bukowski; she outgrew that a ways back and rounded into her own style. Her work since has gained a rare and delicate power, and with every passing book, it gets more all-encompassing.

There are few words to say about Lifshin that have not already been said; I'll just let the images speak for themselves.

Now cliff swallows
nest in the mud
where the Sinaqua
lived
until water ran out

High in these white cliffs
weaving yucca and cotton
How many nights did they
listen for cougar
as they pressed the wet
rust clay
into bowls

that they walked
200 miles to trade in Phoenix
before it was time to leave
("Arizona Ruins")

Pure, simple image, with all the power vested inside, and no annoying blocks of message to dilute the power of the words. Lifshin reiterates her worth of being placed alongside Hayden Carruth, Ira Sadoff, and the rest of the modern poets who will someday make up the canon. An easy entry on this year's best-of list. **** ½

This will be your favorite book of sensual poetry on your bookshelf. Buy this book now!

Lyn Lifshin is an impressive talent whose poetry ranges from simple mood pieces to complex narrative imaging. Before It's Light: New Poems is an impressive anthology that clearly documents her as a major talent. At The Pond Early: night grass steams./Mourning doves in/the fog, a few feathers//on the lawn though no/gees for two days./Only the heron like//a slate candle, a drift/wood stick and my/17 year old cat, a//cloth mouse in her jaws muffing a shriek,/cuts the sleeve//of quiet

I love Lyn Lifshin's poetry -- I have for years and years. She's a genuine original and a true maverick. This book is special -- Lifshin at her finest. Definitely read this if you love sensual, edgy poetry.

After finishing Lifshin's latest book of poems, I felt as if I'd lived a thousand years and travelled a million miles. The gamut of human experience covered in "Before It's Light" runs from the innocence of childhood through the slings and arrows of maturity, and unveils almost everthing, divine or evil, that can possibly happen in a human life. Lifshin weaves an enchanted fabric from a stark realist's thread of narrative. A "Must Read."

These last three reviews are meant for the book "Behold a Pale Horse," by William Cooper, which is a book about government conspiracies. This book, also titled "Behold a Pale Horse," is by Lannon D. Reed, and is about homosexuals in the holocaust.

"Behold A Pale Horse" is the most tragic and hopeless book I have ever read. It is so sad because it is actually a true story. Although it is a fictitious tale, it is based on true events.

The book tells the courageous story of Van Bertholds. Van is a Jewish man living in Germany during the beginning of the Nazi Holocaust.

On the eve of Van's capture he meets Franz Richter. Both men fall in love but are separated because Van bravely goes to look for his parents that were unmercifully put in concentration camps.

Soon after Van finds out that his father dies, he finds his mother. Van wishes that his poor mother will be put out of her misery and join his beloved father because death is more humane than a life of vulgar torture by hatemongers. Van's prayers are answered when his mother dies in his arms.

Since Van was big and strong he was selected to help the Nazis with their work of hate. If he denied them then he would have either been killed or tortured. During this time he was also reunited with his old childhood friend, Rudolf Hoess.

As a child Van idolized Rudy Hoess and almost had a crush on him. As a man, Van hated Rudy Hoess. Rudolf Hoess was now a Nazi. And he also knew Van's secret, that he was a homosexual man. Rudy forced Van into sexual submission because he had some sick need to be in charge.

One day while Van was trying to find some "pink triangles" that were strong enough for Nazi testing (that was his new job) he saw Franz. The two lovers embraced and Franz wept when he saw Van.

Van was now a marked man. The Jewish men in his camp no longer wanted him to wear the Star of David. You see, there is tremendous hate in the pits of hell especially towards the men that wear the pink triangles. Van now had to wear the pink triangle. But for the first time in his life he was not ashamed to be a homosexual man. The truth set him free. He tried to help poor Franz as much as he could because he was much weaker and more sensitive thus making him a prime target for the Nazis.

The pink triangles were among the most hated. During the 1940's Van had been in capture for more than a few years. It was around this time that the concentration camps changed to pure death camps. And the tragic homosexual men were among the first to be murdered at the hands of the hate-filled Nazis.

One day Van and Franz came back to their camp and found that all of the prisoners that shared their ward were gassed to death. Why were Van and Franz spared? Rudy Hoess decided that it would be better to keep Van alive so that he could torture him and use him for his sick and sadistic pleasures. "Behold a pale horse and his name that sat on him was Death."

I recommend this book to anyone that is interested in gay studies, or anyone that is interested in learning about the Holocaust. Thank you to Lannon D. Reed for writing such a powerful book; this story must be told.

I first read this book back in 1984. I cried....

the book touched my soul. The author gave voice to people who died and are often forgotten. Thank you for this story.

This is a terrific piece of writing,and a tribute to the human spirit.Mr Reed tells the story of how a Jewish Homosexual survives the horrific experience of being a prisoner in Nazi concentration camps.His hero survives in order to tell the story of the inhuman treatment of people at the hands of the Nazis.Mr Reed has told that story beautifully.My only disappointment is that I can not find any other books written by Mr Reed

I have been searhcing for this book for the longest and I really wanted to use it for an English assignment. However, I have heard through the grapevine that the author was killed by the government, and shortly after this, the government burned over 90,000 copies of this book. I really want to read this book.

This book is a great addition to any elementary classroom. It is visually beautiful and a great introduction to poetry. It can also be used in art class (I use it for poetry and art) as well as a book rich with Chinese culture.

There are really no words but the text itself to describe this poetry. A wonderful way to introduce children to poetic innovation and convention all at once. Took me outside myself.

The book is designed in such a unique way that the graduated lengths of the pages enable readers
to read the entire poem from the title page. Enchanting. Children and adults are fascinated by the
composition of pictures that form a single word (or character). When they exclaimed, "Wow! These
words are so different from English." I couldn't help but add to the beautiful words of the Author
and said, "Be open to difference, Difference helps us see beauty."

The design of the book is extremely creative and artistic. The pictorial language of Chinese, besides its beauty, is thought provoking. It makes children think with imagination and ask to learn more. When a book stimulates curiosity, it translates to search for knowledge, and results in growth. It's a wonderful thing.

Rev. Marie of Rebeccasreads highly recommends BEYOND THE GREAT MOUNTAIN as Caldecott Medal winner author & artist Ed Young offers a book that will enchant adults & children alike as it transports you on a journey of words & art, to a strange & wondrous land far, far way in both time & place.

Unique & very different fare for parents & children.

I love this book!!! Leonard Cohen is the arguably the most touching writer alive today. I always feel a real connection with his writing, and it always leaves me in total awe.

Because I had bought and read his latest book I decided to buy an old one. Since his songs are poems set to music this book is prose brought to the level of poetry. Short thoughts on his relationship to a higher being or muse or idea. Thought provoking. A pleasure just to read. The man has spent his life finding the right words and metaphoric language for his deep thoughts on love and meaning and life. Thank you, Leonard

Perhaps Leonard Cohen has never been a King, as was David, but the passion of his reflections truly invites comparison.

Cohen struggles with G-d, in the finest tradition of Judaism-- indeed, of all spiritual combat. So he both speaks to G-d, and he listens. His listening compels me to listen with my own feeble ears.

This is a book for all spiritual combatants, whether Jewish, Christian, or Muslim. Or any faith that is "of the book."

Leonard Cohen, always the great poet, has done a masterful job of expressing the spirit of the Psalms in modern prosaic, poetic form. And like the son of the chief psalmist, Cohen has traveled a road that has taken him through many life experiences, only to come through them to arrive at the knowledge of that which truly matters. Book of Mercy is not only a literary gem, but a book of enlightening and thought provoking inspiration for Jew and Christian alike, not to mention that person we often refer to as a seeker.

Although Book of Mercy is written in prose, its soul is poetic.
To try to describe it I must point at the Moon -- there are no words
in me, experience it for yourself. My best friend's roots are Jewish,
mine are Catholic, we have evolved into an inclusive state of being,
yet Book of Mercy shows us the origins of our religions respectively --
althouth it is beyond either.

Here are some publisher's quotes: "An eloquent victory of the human spirit in combat with itself." (Globe and Mail)
"One of the most honest and courageous attempts in Canadianwriting to grapple with ultimate truth." (Books in Canada)
"Resplendent evidence of an arduous spiritual journey." (Maclean's)

Nobody else in our times reaches the tundra of the soul's journey as does Cohen. A wonderful love-version of the Star of David graces the cover.

This book expresses old fashioned love in contemporary poetry.Some think they are in love but have not experienced what Notshulwana articulates in verse.He's prose is brilliant, he shares with the reader his most intimate feelings about the love of his life.Congratulations, Veza, for finding what the world is searching for.. TRUE LOVE.

"The Bouquet of Roses is an inspiring expression of a man's love and a tribute to the relationship of a man and a woman."

Barbara Lackey, Professor of Psychology
Southern California University for Professional Studies, USA.

Reference to cashmere cloth might not mean a thing to one who is not exposed to the culture of the Xhosa people in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. When a young man wants to ask his loved one's family for her hand in marriage, symbolic items are wrapped in black cashmere cloth, to be presented by the delegation to her family. The covers of this book are the embodiment of that tradition, as the pieces of poetry they contain are representative of that gift of love. I recommend it even to those averse to the subject of love, as they surely will be converted after reading this collection.

"Someone once said that life is a song and God writes the words. This collection of love poetry has just confirmed that. These poems could have been songs, for they are beautiful and profound in every way."

"Someone once said that life is a song and God writes the words. This collection of poetry has just confirmed that. These poems could hace been songs, for they are beautiful and profound in every way."

Nosipho Kota, Colunmist, East Cape Weekend.

I am a librarian at a small public library with a very multicultural community base. In order to increase our poetry collection I branched out and ordered new authors. Mr. Daisy's book made it worth my while. Ever since receiving his book in early 2002, we have not been able to keep it on the shelves. People of all ages, races and backgrounds have found his poetry, "moving and inspiring", "comforting", and feel "he understands my world". This book is a wonderful addition to anyone's library, whether public or your home collection.

Kyran Daisy has captured the emotions that come hand in hand with strength, frustration, misery, rage, tenderness, desire, love, heartache, and heartbreak and shared them with his readers in a mesmerizing flow of phrases. Each new poem brought a new rush of goosebumps to my skin. I fully experienced his joy and his sorrow through his brilliant words.

I don't think there is a soul on earth who would not find their own personal truth in the experiences of Mr. Daisy. As one reads the verses, one wonders if the poet was actually right there, experiencing these emotions right beside them. There is so much wisdom in the words of this young man. He has such talent, and so, such a future in poetry!

I THANK KYRAN FOR CREATING A TRULY INSPIRATIONAL BOOK OF POETRY. IT MADE ME OPEN MY EYES TO THE EMOTIONS CAPTIVATED WITHIN EVERY STORY. THE BOOK IS BEAUTIFULLY CRAFTED AS IS THE MAN HOW WROTE IT. WITH EVERY WORD ON THE PAGE ONE COULD TELL HIS LOVE FOR POETRY. THE BOOK MAKES YOU REFLICT ON THE PURPOSE OF POETRY; TO REACH DOWN INSIDE YOUR SOUL AND LET GO OF THOSE POWERFULY FEELINGS YOU NEVER KNEW YOU HAD. I HOPE THAT KYRAN FINDS THE MOTIVATION TO WRITE ANOTHER DELIGHTFULLY, MOTIVATING BOOK.

I cannot give enough praise and words to express my feelings for Mr Kyran Daisy's book of poems, Can't Nobody Take Me Away.His poetry is heartwarming, sensitive, perceptive, and emotional. Mr. Daisy is a creative writer. I highly recommend his book because it is a wonderful reading experience.

I cannot give enough praise and words to express my feelings for Mr Kyran Daisy's book of poems, Can't Nobody Take Me Away.His poetry is heartwarming, sensitive, perceptive, and emotional. Mr. Daisy is a creative writer. I highly recommend his book because it is a wonderful reading experience.

If you'd given me a sheaf of Chiyo-ni's haiku before I read this book, I might have had a "so what?" moment rather than a "haiku moment." Writer Patricia Donegan and translator Yoshie Ishibashi teamed up to present us with an invaluable scholarly introduction to the life and work of the great Chiyo-ni. The 65 pages of biographical and cultural information bring Chiyo-ni and her contemporaries vividly to life, providing a context for the 100 haiku to follow. For example, Chiyo-ni was friends with prostitutes, and this was not considered unusual for a Buddhist nun; prostitutes were not shunned, for one thing, and both nuns and prostitutes had greater freedom than most of the women of Japan of that era.

The poems are presented in sections for the four seasons, each one in both phonetic and script Japanese, with an English translation, identification of the kigo (the season word), and sometimes notes on Chiyo-ni's life at the time she wrote the poem, the mood being expressed, or cultural references with which a Westerner would not usually be familiar.

The book is paperback but lovingly produced. An indispensable reference work for haiku readers and writers, and for those interested in the lives of women who managed to find personal and artistic freedom within societies that greatly restricted the lives of women.

I really enjoyed this beautifully written biography of Chiyo-Ni, as well as the the banquet of her exquisite haiku. In addition, there are many examples of drawings/paintings done of her by her contemporaries. I would highly recommend this book, and have re-read the haiku many times. Chiyo-Ni is truly a master of her art and it is so fortunate that her works have survived for our enjoyment.

Simple and delicious. A treasure. My favorite poem, "clear water / no front / no back" No more needs to be said.

There is no logic at all to what goes out of print...this book should be out there forever, it is so rare and remarkable. Buy it now, though, and add Far Beyond the Field, a survey of 20 historical and modern Japanese women haiku poets, including Chiyo-ni. If you write haiku or just love to read it, you'll find a unique inspiration in these two wonderful collections.

This biography of woman haiku master Chiyo-ni is interwoven
with beautiful translations of her haiku as well as intelligent background material on the form itself. A must-have.

I had the opportunity to hear Michael Ondaatje read his poem 'The Concessions' from this book at the Blyth Festival season launch and this poem is very beautiful. Not only is it a connection that is like no other with the area that it was written for. Ondaatje has really gotten into the sprit of the area as he pin points local figures 'the mystic from Millbank' we all knew who these people were that he was pin pointing which was very lovely. I was very pleased to have had the opportunity to have hear that poem that I went out and bought this book right away because of that poem. I recommed that you buy this book there are many other lovely poems but that one 'The Concessions' will forever stand out in my mind.

The wonderful collection of poems that comprise The Cinnamon Peeler were written by Michael Ondaatje during a twenty-year period. They are works of deep intimacy and dazzling beauty.

Not being a poet myself, I enjoy reading Ondaatje's gorgeous poetry to my novelist wife.

More than love poems, these works contain wonderful twists and turns that are both painful and funny. Ondaatje has obviously turned to both Rousseau and Wallace Stevens for inspiration, but he also contributes his own sense of the novel and his awareness of social strata.

This is a charming book, with a muted sense of humor. With The Cinnamon Peeler, Ondaatje takes us deep inside his own mind and heart. It is trip worth making.

Michael Ondaatje knows how to mix humor, beauty, sadness, and acute observation together to make lovely works of art. This collection contains a great variety of poetry, from simple and touching observations about his children, to deeply imagined distant moments of wonder. My favorite is "Pure Memory/Chris Dewdney" which actually made me cry twice for two different reasons when I first read it. I will say no more here. "Elimination Dance" is also a fun one to read out loud. "The Cinnamon Peeler" itself is a fantastic love poem. There is so much good stuff in this.

Michael Ondaatje knows how to write poetry. Primarily, he is a poet. Secondly a novelist. This collection contains a great variety of poems about day to day life, love, marriage, deep observations about children, humour, history and many more.

My favourite poem is ""To a Sad Daughter" which has a universal appeal. Once, I read this poem to my wife just replacing the poet's daughter's infatuation: ice hockey players with our daughter's hobby. My wife remarked: "Great poem. So you write good poetry too!"

I also like other poems including "The Cinnamon Peeler", "A House Divided", "Women Like You", "Billboards" and "Postcard From Piccadilly Street".

Michael Ondaatje shares his great intimate moments with us including love, his recollection of places and relationships with us. If you want to understand Ondaatje's prose, one must begging with his poetry. For anyone `The Cinnamon Peeler' is an entry into a dark and deep labyrinth painted with human experience. When you come out of it, you'll be a different person.

This book is a one I read over and over again when I'm both sad and happy!

I don't have much to say, but I must state my immense admiration for micheal ondaatje and his thought...his way of thinking reminds me of my own, like when he says in one of his poems with no name, "how we moved from thin ceramic to such destruction". I feel such romance and love from almost every single poem, even rat jelly! He doesn't restrict himself to using a certain amount of lines in his stanzas, and there's no rhyming. That makes his poetry more "true" and honest, like all poems should be. His works read rather like a novel and he could probably write a novel for each poem he's written, but they'd all be thrown in together eventually into one book, since they're all in a way connected. I love reading his poetry over and over again, the effect never wears out. I can't remember the name of my favourite poem from this book, but it's simply about him and his wife kicking each other in bed for the covers and the space, and how he says that she got pregnant, he's sure, just so she could get the space...it's such a simple subject that no one else would think of writing about...no other poets that I've read have succeded in being able to pour out their thoughts in a way that I would actually be interested to read them. I applaud you, Micheal Ondaatje...all my love.

Housman's poetry is very gloomy; considering that all the pictures I saw of him in my high school English IV class looked as if he has a stick shoved up his __. I recommend "To an Athlete Dying Young" number 19 in his collection called A Shropshire Lad. Still strangely relevant since it's first writing way back in 1896, it's just a really good example of really vivid poetry done by a master.

Absolutely necessary reading for any poetry lover. If by some terrible mistake you have so far missed Housman, you should make up for it immediately. Don't waste your time reading reviews, just get the book asap!

I remember first discovering A. E. Housman in school when I read "A Shropshire Lad" and was rather impressed.

My favorite of his poems is "To An Athlete Dying Young". It moved me because it has a special connection with me, since now that my athletic days are over and I'm no longer a part of any team, I understand and can identify with the athlete who is once so glorious and yet his glory can be so short-lived.

David Rehak
author of "Poems From My Bleeding Heart"

A.E., Housman's superb poem, "To an Athlete Dying Young", cannot help but bring to mind all the young men who perished in aerial combat. You knew some. I knew some. We are now moving off stage and we cannot help but hope and pray that others will carry on the task of remembrance. I drive by Putterham Circle in South Brookline, Massachusetts, frequently and I note that the wooden sign dedicating the traffic circle to my old friend Staff Sgt. Frank Ryan is in need of replacement.

What brings this to mind is a letter from a Fred Farnsworth (email address: FredieF@aol.com) of Los Alamos, New Mexico. He is interested in the life of his late cousin, Lt. Everett Farnsworth, of Stillwater, Oklahoma. His cousin and Jimmy Stewart were close pals and used to double date the English girls who lived near the air field. I should note here that I have yet to hear one note of criticism of Jimmy either as an Airplane Commander, actor or as a human being.

Our correspondent says Jimmy told his cousin that he would honor him in a movie Stewart would make when he got back to the States. He gave Everett the name George Bailey in the movie we all have seen probably more than once. Its title was "It's a Wonderful Life".

Everett did not live to see the movie in which Stewart kept his promise. He was killed on a bombing mission when his badly shot- up Fortress went down in a Swiss lake. The name of the lake was Greifensee. Everett and one other were killed in the crash. Four other crewmen who had been ordered to bail out did so and survived. The plane was a B17G -serial no. 384BG/5545BS and it went down April 4, 1944. Anyone with information concerning the plane and its crew can forward it to "Vapor Trails".

As long as I am still here to tell the tale let me home you in a bit on my pal Frank Ryan. He was a rich kid from a very patriotic family. He had a U.S. Marine brother who fought on Tarawa if my memory serves. Frankie went to "Cranwell", a lahdeedah Jesuit boarding school in the Berkshires. I went to Boston College High, at that time a Dickensian Jebbie prep school in Boston's tough South End. It is still close to my heart after all these years. We both wound up among the very few Radio Operator Gunners who could read Latin. (I can say this without fear of correction because all my Latin teachers are dead.)

We both joined the Army Air Corp in Brookline but didn't see each other again until a couple of years later when we luckily met on a train back to Brookline. We were beginning the furloughs you get just before going overseas and presumably into combat. Frankie went to the Eighth Air Force whereas I wound up in the Tenth. I sent him a V-Mail from the 7th Bomb Groups airbase at Pandeveswar, Bengal soon after I got there. By this time the European air war was winding down. I wrote Frankie that he was one lucky guy because his war was just about finished whereas fliers in the CBI had a long way to go.

I sent the same note to Nate Douglas of Georgia whom I had met my first day of Basic Training and had been to CTD, Sioux Falls Radio School, and Gunnery School at Yuma. We said goodbye in Savannah where he was assigned to train on B17s and I was across town at Chatham Field training on Liberators.

A few weeks later I was sitting in front of a sweltering straw-roofed basha in Bengal, India, when a mail orderly came by and handed me the self-same V-Mails I had sent Ryan and Douglas. The orderly muttered "Sorry". Both V-Mails were stamp "Killed in Action."

Smart lad(s) to slip betimes away from fields where glory does not fade...
John Brennan, editor

I don't know what I'd do without this book. I stumbled on Housman more or less by accident in an anthology and just fell in love -- so much emotion so perfectly crystallized in such lovely little lyrics, beautiful regardless of what connection you make to it. I can't recommend this highly enough; somehow, despite the melancholy, Housman's verse retains a power to comfort and assure in even the most dire of situations. That, I suppose, is why it was written years ago "for those unhappy fellows, unborn and unbegot, for them to read when they're in trouble and I am not."

Surprisingly neglected, especially in the academy, Schuyler will soon be recognized as one of the most gifted poets of his generation. The deluge of doctoral dissertations cannot be far off; I encourage readers to beat the rush.

Except for his last poems, JS is one of the best poets ever and deserves more attention. If you're unfamiliar with his work, look at the cover and it'll tell you almost everything you need to know before you bask in the light.

James Schuyler's COLLECTED POEMS is a great volume of poetry. Ranging from aspects of daily life (such as plants, walks in the countryside, friends, urban life, etc.) to contemplation of death, life, one's interiority, and God, Schuyler's subjects are compelling and relevant. What I especially like is his ability to take a mundane, everyday object or concept (like a view from a building) and give it a new, intensely personal perspective. This is his major gift. One aspect that I didn't like about some of his poems (and this is true for all poets) is his tendency to be obscure at times (though only a small portion of his poems are abstruse) and his long, rambling prose poems, like "Hymn to Life." "The Morning of the Poem," though, is a fantastic and imaginative piece of literature, broad in its scope and revealing of Schuyler in its tone and subjects. Overall, this volume of poetry unites the works of a superb poet, who valued the artist's perspective and his or her obligation to record a view of the world different than that of the average person. This volume will, I fervently hope, remain in the continuum of literature and in discussions of it for many years to come.

This collection should establish Schuyler as one of the great poets of his generation. I particularly admire his tautness--precise names and descriptions, inventive phrases--as well as his flexibility--a wide-ranging eye and ear and a free-flowing memory. Throughout these poems there lurks a clear intention to inform, to connect, to synthesize. I look forward to returning to this book many times for refreshment and illumination.

These sparkling poems mimic in their movements the springtime light that's always raining down around this poet, despite whatever woes he might have had. Read the long "Morning of the Poem" and tell me it isn't one of the most moving poems in the history of poetry.