Poetry Books

this book has a lot more value to me than anything. my grandpa used to recite these poems to us grandkids, and now i've lost him. and this book is just so wonderful. it's in great condition, and i just love it!! thank you amazon!

I was given a book of Edgar A. Guest's poetry as a birthday present when I was a kid . . . it doesn't seem like it could be that long ago, but it is. He has remained my favorite poet. He's not fancy, doesn't use free verse, or symbolism --- which is exactly why, forty years after first being introduced to this poet, I still sit down from time to time just to browse through a book of poems by Edgar A. Guest just for the sheer joy of reading his poetry.

Selected favorites of this collection are "A boy and his Stomach", "A bear Story", "The Mothers Watch". Great down to earth type poetry. Easy to read and understand.

Recommend for all ages

I have an older copy of this book and I find it to be the most interesting poetic book I have ever encountered. The book was property of my belated grandfather and it means the world to my entire family. I find that he shows a wonderful view of all the points in life that we come in contact with. I recommend this book to anyone with an open view of life because this book is the life of a very talented man. He shows all aspects of situations and feelings that we all go through in life.

The poetry in the book was great, the binding less thanexpected. The paper was of poor quality and the print was hard toread, very faint print and missing some letters. Appeared to have beenprinted in someones garage with a cheap printer. The ...printing was listed as printing the book. ...should hang theirheads in shame!

This book covers every one of the many, many revisions of Leaves of Grass. Great for enjoymen as well as research.

Walt Whitman is, indisputably, America's poet. He is vast, large, contradictory (Do I contradict myself?/Very well then I contradict myself/(I am large, I contain multitudes)), beautiful and loose and American to the core!

His greatest poem is, in my opinion, "Song of Myself." This is far from a controversial opinion, and for good reason; the eighty-odd page long poem is an astounding epic--albeit, an unusual one, but a monumental achievement of literature. It is Whitman as Everyman, Whitman as you, as me, as all other mortals from China to Peru. I quote his beautiful closing stanzas:

"I bequeath myself to the dirt to grow from the grass I
Love,
If you want me again look for me under your bootsoles.

You will hardly know who I am or what I mean,
But I shall be good health to you nevertheless,
And filter and fibre your blood.

Failing to fetch me at first keep encouraged,
Missing me one place search another,
I stop some where waiting for you"

Such beauty in verse, especially free verse, is scarcely found, and, when found, must be cherished. There is a reason almost all poets after him--and not just poets in the English language, either (Borges, for example, aspired to be the "Whitman of Argentina")--have been influenced by him more so than any other poet besides perhaps Shakespeare and Milton.

Nor is "Song of Myself" his only great poem, though it surely be his greatest. His elegy for Abraham Lincoln, "When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd" is monumental (the great critic Harold Bloom declares it Whitman's finest poem, and thus the greatest of all American poems--I dissent, but uphold its marvel nonetheless), as is almost all of his wonderful corpus of poetry. Whitman is remarkable; he is inescapable; he is beautiful. Read him, and thou shalt be infinitely rewarded.

I was turned on to "Uncle Walt," as my high school teacher described him, while taking American Literature, and am thankful for it. While Whitman has a unique style of writing, I am drawn to it and enjoy this book emensely. I definetely recommend this book to any Walt Whitman fan, and to those that appreciate American poetry.

Whitman is a special poet. As you read through his poems you get the feeling that you are not reading poetry but rather going through Whitman's mind. His compulsive style both simple and meticulous, his whirling rhythym, and his proud usage of the first person, all give you a vivid glimpse of the world through his eyes and heart; the eyes of his time and the poetic heart of his thoughts. Yet even though Whitman talks to you in social vocab. you know that you are listening to a poet because ast is ineveitable to sense his power to overwhelm. Lorca described Whitman as "viejo" and "hermoso", and these descriptions are true of Whitman the poet as Whitman the man. After reading this book you'll be short of words to describe it as I appear to be. It has too much inside it. But it is beautiful because the words inside it come from a man who knew how to appreciate and merge with the antiquity and great elderiness of the world.

not only the greatest selling poet who has been dead for more than fifty years, not only the poet whose translations are regularly read abroad, not only the poet whose name has in-spired countless others, not only the poet who freed us from the manacles of rhyme and decapitated the tyranny of meter but also a man of enthusiasm, a titan, a man whose soul floods with belch, fume and quake, a man who confronts the ravenous centaurs of humdrum and blugeons them swiftly in a spasmo of frenzy-fire, a wanderer, a searcher, one whose mind travels vig-orously throughout the cosmimosa and embellishes it with jac-inths of thought and blooms of popy! not only a man of gargan-tuan passions, one who rages in the face of metallic storm but also a man whose depressions, fogs, glooms and sensitivity to flowers, softness and the defenseless bloom in stark heart-throb. no doubt he is a poet well worth a place beside such other titano-giants such as goethe, milton and homer, for he too sings the song of war, his book is a chanson of bellum for he sings of the battle of the passions, the climaximum of the emo-ceans, he challenges the raw specters of gash, their eyes oozing of slime-drab and rather than succumb to the oxen of indiffer-ence he instead triumphs over the gray and his book thus re-sounds in shinning claria! his is an adventure of thought sur-real in its gusto, jumping in its excitica and wild in its leap of ideas! thank celestium that he liberated us poets from the ab-surd manacles of rhyme and meter and we can now surge through horiza with countless new devices, metaphors and similies awaiting in our platoons! he is the cougar of innova-tion, the lion of spasmo and the giant of vision.

kyle foley, author of Lorelei Pursued and Wrestles with God

Nicely bound. Really does have all of his poems. Good paper quality. Very satisfied.

I read some stuff by Carl Sandburg when I was in high school, but now that I am considering writing as more of an art form I wanted to delve more into poetry, and this book is definately a great collection of one of America's greatest poets

I am a big fan of Sandburg. This is the most complete collection of his works that I have seen. His poetry is so full of strength and hope. Nothing is too frilly but still very beautiful. His poetry always reminds me of the verbal equivalent of a piece of art by Norman Rockwell - true down to the dirt on the skin but so full of awe and respect for his subject. Have a wonderful time reading this collection!

For me Sandburg is the poet of 'immortal lines' gleaned from anthologies. " The cat comes in on little cloud's feet' " Tell me if the lovers are the losers in the tombs, the cool tombs" " Chicago, beefhandler, wheat- stacker of the nation" Sandburg writes clearly and some might say is poetry is just prose chopped up into lines, but he has a strength and a humane sense that I find admirable. He is not given today the attention I believe he deserves. An inspiring poet who should be read more than he is.

Fifty years ago Carl Sandburg's poetry could be found in nearly every library, classroom and (in some form) home in America, but in the hurried twenty-first century, where too much bad poetry has spoiled whole living generations on the art, he is all-but lost to our social consciousness. This poet of freedom (even his poems disobey every respected rule of form) penned verses that celebrated the American spirit as no other writer had since Walt Whitman. If presented with a sampling of his most famous lines, the average American would probably light up and say, "Oh, yeah! Okay, I've heard that one." Reading the collected works of this Midwesterner is full of such moments of re-discovery. All of Sandburg's published books are here, putting his many hundreds of poems on display. His finest work, the controversial, slow-moving, stream of consciousness piece "The People, Yes" alone makes this anthology a gift to modern readers, but many other unexpected gems await to delight, challenge, inform, or taunt with sheer irony. Though some of these poems date back nearly a century, at no time does Sandburg ever sound anything but cutting-edge and post-modern. He is one of the greats for all ages of man.

This book is more suited for one who has started writng poetry. There are numerous exercises which may discourage the novice.

At the same time it covers well all aspects of poetry. On reflection my original judgement may have been somewhat hasty.

A fun and easy-to-read introduction to poetry for anybody. A must for a beginning poet. There is something to chuckle about on every page, I wrote a poem about one:

Assignment No. 12

Read something that seems impossibly difficult.
John Drury, you say things so impossibly easy,
You may as well be a Zen teacher.

Do you care to explain what you meant,
Or shall I tie you to a chair and torture you
To get a confession out of you?

Wait, Billy Collins told us to waterski
And wave at your name on the shore.
I know it was an assignment, not a poem.
But you wrote it so poetically,
I won't bring out a hose to beat you
To find out what you really meant.

Anyway, that's why I love to write poems:
I can leave a line hanging in the air,
Without explaining why or what it means,
For readers to imagine and discover.

"The first line of any poem is a kind of door, an entrance into the rooms of the stanzas, an opening. There are many kinds of doors, some plain, some ornate..." ~John Drury

Creating Poetry is not a book, it is a muse disguised as pages of paper within a cover! I cannot express my appreciation enough for this beautiful gift. John Drury's wisdom and attention to detail is inspiring and the warmth with which he writes inspires you to write poem after poem.

You can literally read this book and compose poems instantly as the inspiration flows through you. I was amazed at how Creating Poetry invoked the muse so effectively! Most of my poems appear as a singular thought or moment and then the first sentence will keep repeating itself until I start writing, then a poem flows through the pen. Reading this book, you need to keep paper and pen nearby because poems will appear as if called from a never-ending well of creativity.

"Some poets do depend on a flash of inspiration, maybe a good first line, before they sit down to work...waiting is their discipline. Like all poets, they are constantly preparing for the poems they will write." ~ John Drury

John Drury explores a wide variety of poetic forms and teaches poets how to develop style and feeling that will be conveyed to the reader and enhance the experience. For a long time I wrote poems without knowing what I was doing. In fact, my first book of poems appeared so spontaneously, I had no idea I could even write poems.

One of the suggestions he gives in this book is to read lots of poems and to indulge in the experience of reading them frequently. I cannot agree more! He also talks about playing music while you write. These suggestions are all very helpful. Some of the brilliant ideas include thoughts on myths. You can put yourself into the story and write about yourself as a mythical creature or you could write a poem about a painting or sculpture. The main sections introduce you to:

Developing your poetic sensitivity
Learning the fundamental tools of poetry
Refining sight - image, metaphor, symbols, vision
Sensitizing yourself to the music of words - alliteration, assonance, rhyme, sound effects
Developing the rhythmic qualities that make poems sing
Understanding the basic units of which poems are made - visual shape, stanzas, lines
Taking advantage of poetic forms - Ballad, Haiku, Ode, Villanelle, Song, Pantoum
Becoming aware of fine nuances - tone, understatement, dramatic monologue
Opening to potential sources - love, dreams, chance, thinking, memory, journals
Things to write about - stories, people, occasions, modern life, objects, subjects
Appreciation for Life - history, science, music, myths, painting, photographs
Bringing each poem to completion - revision, omissions, endings

Reviewing poetry stirred my interest as I noticed similarities within the uniqueness of style. What was it that so captured me in some poems and drew me in deeper into a poet's world? How do poets create a connection of souls in just a few lines? Often what a poet needs is an idea and then the full experience appears.

This book inspired me to write poems about love, silence, cinnamon, bookshelves, reviewing, bubble baths, candles, travel, eternity, hunger, dreams, music, friendship, autumn, wolves, castles, plum blossoms and even a poem about ships in a sea of emotion.

Reading "Creating Poetry" will inspire you to the point where reading this book may in fact inspire you to write 50-70 poems! You can read a book and write your own book at the same time! I'm working on publishing the book this book inspired, but I keep writing more poems! Creating Poetry Creates Poets!

~The Rebecca Review

There are a few books in my personal library which I have acquired without really knowing the exact reasons for my ultimate decisions at the point of purchase. It could be the spur of the moment. Or something just grabs me. I really don't know.

This is one particular book (in fact, the only one of its genre, which I had bought) that fell under those impulses.

But there is something I am very sure of & that is, I am often fascinated by people who write literature, plays & poems, as well as the aesthetics of their creative work. I once heard this story from a government minister: "Math & Science give you the capability to build a gun. Literature & Poetry help you make the decision when to use it."

Neverthless, I took the trouble to read - & reread - this book on how to begin a poem. Through the hundreds of practical exercises to get going, I even invoked my muse & wrote a few short poems along the way. Not the best, but not bad for a beginner after all!

Personally, I really appreciate the author's constant encouragement: explore, practise, open yourself to all the potential sources of poetry - all around you & within you. I also like his beautiful presentation through twelve thematic chapters (each a self-contained unit), to name a few as follows:

- Preparing: developing your poetic sensitivity;
- Language: learning the fundamental tools of poetry & using them effectively;
- Sight: refining sight & insight to make your poetry come alive within themind's eye...& the heart's eye, too;
- Sound: sensitizing yourself to the music of words - both singly & in combination;
- Movement: developing the rhythmic qualities that make poems sing...& shout, match, croon & whisper;
- Voice: becoming aware of the fine nuances of how the words are said & connected, revealing each poem's implied speaker & "stance";
- Finishing: bringing each poem to successful completion;

As far as I am concerned, the author has also done a terrific job in addressing the imagery, metaphor & different methods of constructing & experimenting with new poetic forms.

On the whole, even though I cannot compare this book with others (this is the only one of its genre in my library & the only one I have perused), I would like to rank it with the highest marks.

Beginners and veteran poets alike are sure to find inspiration in this complete guide to writing poetry.

There is inspiration here in the form of exercises to invoke your muse, as well as practical advice on the "nuts and bolts" of writing and submitting your work.

Just about every aspect of writing poetry is covered, making this a wonderful resource for any poet.

I bought this book for $1 at a drug store, initially for the intriguing illustrations that captured my attention. I enjoy creating collages and was about to rip the book to shreds for the pictures when I realized the entire story was a poem, and not only that but a very structured poem that rhymed well... so I began to read it, wondering how the author could make the entire story rhyme throughout.
It was the most beautiful biography of a fictional character I think I have ever encountered. The poetry flowed so convincingly and naturally that unless I began to read out loud, I forgot I was reading a poem. There was none of the awkward sentence structure that poets sometimes need to employ in order to combine sense and rhyme. It was a wonderful story, beautifully written. This book has everything; science, poetry, art, romance, discovery, plot, strong character development and is told in a truly amazing way; content and execution being both worthwhile.
My favorite part is how, chapter by chapter, the significance of the title takes on the most remarkable series of metamorphous. What an exceptional find- I can't imagine I would have dared tear it up for the pictures... the very least in hierarchy of the attributes it contained.
Why on earth would someone sell such an extraordinary book for a mere dollar? It is worth far more in my opinion.

At the risk of hyperbole, I'm going to say it: this is a work of genius. It's a shame that it occupies such a weird literary purgatory (by virtue of being a memeber of that platypus-like form, the novel in verse) because it deserves to be read and taught in schools, made part of the cannon, and above all to sell a million copies. But who would want to read a really long poem about an entomologist? Answer: everyone--if that poem is as moving, as transcendant, as good a story, and as unobtrusive in its pyrotechnics as this one. yes, there are fireworks, but most of the time you forget it's the fourth of july. read it if you like novels. read it if you're a student of poetry. as an amateur writer of both myself, I can only describe it as a humbling expereince. leithauser deserves your money. Darlington's Fall

What a wonderful combination of left brain and right brain this book is. It communicates in ways that no novel or poem ever could. No poem could have the emotional drive of this story with these characters - and yet the verse does much to heighten that drive in the most dramatic sequences. No novel could match the satisfying, complexly intelligent structure of this verse - but the sweep of this novel allows for intellectual explorations which - for me at least - no poem could ever support. Actually, I've never been a fan of long poems before, but I found the verse here very accessible - it supports the characters and the story, rather than simply calling attention to itself. I really enjoyed this book.

Novels in verse are fairly rare: Pushkin's 'Eugene Onegin', Vikram Seth's 'The Golden Gate', and Nobelist Derek Walcott's 'Omeros', come to mind. This novel is composed of ten-line stanzas with a rhyme scheme that mandates each line-end have a rhyme-mate somewhere in the stanza, but these ryhmes occur in irregular places, e.g. ABCCADDEEB, as in this sample verse, chosen at random from page 161:

(Nothing on earth, surely there's nothing on earth,
So hopeful, so suggestive of some gilt, goaled kindness
Or mercy at the heart of Nature than the notion
Of convergent evolution--
This thought that the ranged obstacles to any birth
Are immaterial and can be sidestepped . . .
The eye, for instance--look how Nature kept
Contriving it anew, freshly seeing its way
Out of the darkness--as if, at the end of the day,
The mind were _destined_ to escape from blindness.)

The language used tends to be only slightly elevated in tone, and conversational American English creeps in comfortably. Other reviewers have summarized the plot about the life of a boy prodigy who becomes a lepidopterist, has a terrible fall on a remote Pacific Island that cripples him. The protagonist is a gentle, lovable man whose training in Darwinian concepts leads him to accept the randomness and cruelty of life, but whose Wordsworthian love of Nature is never dimmed. I found the plot to be quite involving (as well as involved) and I had trouble slowing down my reading to savor the poetry.

A book to be treasured and re-read.

I was initially attracted to this book because I HAVE been to Ponape (now known as Pohnpei) and was surprised to find the obscure island a location for a novel. I was further intrigued by the idea of a novel in verse form (although I must admit that this aspect alone might have led me to avoid it). I'm glad I didn't. The verse is musical without being obvious, distracting (or obtuse), and the story is an interesting one--a love story on many levels and one that makes insightful observations about human nature, natural selection, adaption and evolution. Despite the joy it brought me, I did find myself at times wanting more--more detail, more exploration, more connection between the "writer" and his "subject." But that is a minor complaint, for a book that surprised me in so many ways.

Your story is a beautiful demonstration of the power of Love & Honor & Trust.
It reminds us that money, homes and toys are just
things that can be replaced. Love and family and promises kept are
real. We can find good in extremely horrific circumstances. We are
capable of handling more than we know. A true hero is revealed. A
child shall lead them... Let us empower our children and show them
how to lead! Thank you for putting things in perspective for us all.

I love how you captured the essence of the story with such brevity!

[[ASIN:B00021OZZ8 The Twelve Gifts of Birth - MUSIC]

In De'Monte Love I find a calm within the storm -- a six-year-old boy who promises to care for his brother, cousins, and friends during Hurricane Katrina, and keeps his word. Rodney Vance and Martino Dorce, the author and illustrator respectively of this story, poetically highlight the best in human beings: our ability to rise above tragedy and to love and care for others in times of great need.

In the innocent days of childhood, there were very few problems that couldn't be remedied with a cookie, a hug, a favorite toy, or holding hands to cross the street. In this wonderfully told story written by Rodney Vance and illustrated by Martino Dorce, the diminutive six year old hero has a problem that's going to take giant-size courage to resolve. Specifically, he has promised to care for his siblings in the frightening aftermath of Hurricane Katrina when they become separated from their parents. This is a beautiful read-aloud book that reinforces the importance of keeping one's word and never giving up hope. Dorce's illustrations burst with fresh color and his depiction of the storm is extremely well done. This book - based on a true story - is a treasure that youngsters, parents and grandparents will enjoy sharing together and talking about.

"Every child should read De'Monte Love because it illustrates that no matter what age we are in are life, the most valuable lesson is to learn how to love and care for one another. During such a tragic storm Katrina, De'Monte teaches us how to hold on to his life jacket of love for his brother and family. I love Rodney Vance for extracting this positve message and telling this young man's story." Ivy Westmoreland

From the first day I saw this book, I knew it would be a must-have for libraries in the schools I work with. Telling the story of Katrina from this young boy's perspective provides opportunity and insight for teachers to make meaningful connections to an event that has impacted so many. The teacher materials that go alongside are excellent. If you are a principal, librarian, teacher or know someone who is, "De'Monte Love" is a must-have!

I really enjoyed this book by Sean Munnings. The poems are emotionally charged and cover a vast array of subject matters. The poet addresses divorce, infidelity, spousal abuse, homosexuality, etc. by making the reader feel like he or she is the person going through these often-traumatic experiences. The book places the poems in categories that enhance the reading experience. I personally find poetry books that lack content flow to be rather dull. Deep Waters Volume One transcends the islands of The Bahamas and allows its readers to be in love, be inspired, be married and divorced, be sexually driven, be torn between racial divides, be depressed, be socially conscious, be enjoying the islands of his country and be shocked with many cleverly placed verses. My favorite part of the book is the Shells of Passion section where the poet illustrates his mastery of romantic poems. I specifically adored (My heart won't rest, Candle, Tender, The Aisle, Not made of Stone and All I feel is Air). I definitely recommend this book for any teenager over the age of 13. I look forward to reading more poems from Mr. Munnings in the future.

This book of poetry has launched as a big HIT! The insite that Mr. Munnings has into love and romance is expressed in every line. There are cultural poems as well that so discribe Bahama loves and life. Keep up the good work and I look forward to volume II.

What can i say. This book is short of nothing. It brings a variety if controversial issues and topics to the table but addresses them in a provocative, but tasteful and exciting manner. I have had the opportunity to read all of the poems, and many more that have not been published. Sean is a young talented writer that brings a wealth of talent and new means of self expression. The book is excellent and I wish him all the best! The book is an enjoyable one, once you start - you wont stop until you have read all of the poems.

It is always good to see a good export from The Bahamas ... and Deep Waters is a wonderful example. Sean's poetry speaks to you and his imagery is flawless. It's almost as if he is in your head, listening to your thoughts and ideas and putting them to paper. I like all the poems in this book; but I love when he plays against cast -- on one hand a Valentino-like lover and on the other a heartless lady conqueror. I am proud to say that I call this poet a friend and even more proud that his poetry is strong enough to carry the weight of the title "BAHAMIAN."

I have read Sean's book and find it very interesting.
MY favorites are FOOD FOR THE SOUL and SMOKING GUN
Seans poetry takes you on a journey into your soul.
it talks about every facet of life's experiences and challenges.
As a young bahamian writer he has definitely made me proud.
Sean has also inspired me to continue writing and hold onto my dreams of one day publishing my book.

TM Malvise Bastian

Yusef Komunyakaa uses such beautiful language to describe the horrors of war that it draws the reader in allowing us to almost see and feel what these young men experienced in the frightening and chaotic days of Vietnam. This work is written with intense emotion and love. It should be read by every American.

Dien Cai Dau by Yusef Komunyakaa is an artistic display of visual imagery through his writing. Komunyakaa's graphic depictions and strong language stem from emotionally charged subjects and lend themselves unselfishly to the works in this book. Since Komunyakaa served in the Vietnam War as a wartime correspondent, his ties to the detail and imagery that he displays in this book are unquestionable. The author allows the reader a safe passage back to the time and place of one of the most tragic wars in American history by painting individual pictures through each one of his poems. Komunyakaa gives the reader an opportunity to experience the knee-buckling power that war lends to a man's life. The chance to understand what might have been going through someone's head at that time and place is too good to pass up, even if you are not a war poetry fan.

There is more to Dien Cai Dau than just war. In this book of poetry, there is both powerful and graceful imagery. The poetry may depict a harsh or solemn scene; however, the imagery allows the reader to experience that scene to the fullest extent. Take for example this excerpt from "Roll Call"- "The perfect row aligned/with the chaplain's cross/ while a metallic-gray squadron/ of sea gulls circled" (p.15, 10-13). The poem that this image comes from is referring to a respect filled tradition that each platoon had of calling roll for those soldiers who had fallen in battle. The "metallic-gray squadron/ of sea gulls" (12-13) lends the notion of a fly-by of military planes, which is often done to honor those who have passed away or to commemorate a special occasion. Allowing nature, in this case the sea gulls, to honor those who fight to protect the land and rights of those who cannot protect themselves gives this poem a powerful meaning.
Another image that the author paints in our minds is that of the veteran after the war has ended. "Sometimes I can hear them/ marching through the house, /closing the distance. All/ those lonely beds take me back" (16-19). These lines allow the reader not only to see what a veteran would see, but also see why a veteran would not share his past as the author states in lines 13-15. It is with this type of imagery the author gives the reader a glimpse into the mind, heart and soul of a soldier who has been in war.

The type imagery displayed in "Roll Call" is rampant amongst the poems in this book. The demonstration of artistic writing and imagination that Komunyakaa shows in Dien Cai Dau is incredible. There are those who have never seen war and write as if they had, Komunyakaa lived this experience which allows him to put his visions of the battle field and of the somber results on the pages of his book. The strong imagery, life and emotion that Komunyakaa shows in this book are what make this book of poetry so fantastic.

The poetic memoirs of Yusef Komunyakaa in the book "Dien Cai Dau" are based upon the poet's various experiences overseas during the Vietnam War. "Dien Cai Dau" is a superb collection of wartime poetry. Yusef Komunyakaa is a Pulitzer Prize winning author who served in the Vietnam War as a correspondent and editor for a newspaper. The aesthetic imagery Komunyakaa uses within his collection of Vietnam War poetry wonderfully captures the explosive scenery and experiences gathered throughout his time spent over there during combat. This is a collection of Vietnam War time poetry well worth reading.

During one of the more impressive poems within the collection, "Somewhere Near Phu Bai," Komunyakaa and the speaker expresses his nighttime duty of watching the placement of the claymore mines. The claymore mines were being monitored because the enemy was known to rotate the grass floor bombs around, so upon engagement, they would blast onto the opposite forces instead of the enemy's. The poem begins with the line "The moon cuts through night trees like circular saw white hot" (1). The ominous image of the white moon cutting through the dark sky like a saw corresponds with the jagged, gloomy evening. The image of a moon is repeated throughout the poem as the speaker/man on duty describes "The white-painted backs of the Claymore mines like quarter moons." (14,15,16). Through repetition of the imagery Komunyakaa engrains the shadowy image of the night moon, and the fatal image of the bombs being shaped like moons as well. This is an effective correlation, because readers associate the night with the moonlike mines as does the speaker whose orders are to observe the mines. The claymore mines become his night. Comparisons and correlations like this occur throughout the collected poems allowing the audience to experience along with the speaker each wartime event. This is one of the wonderful attributes within Komunyakaa's writing because he really invites the reader to engage himself or her within the book.

Many of Komunyakaa's poems within his war poetry collection depict circumstances in which he remembers events during the war, and the recollections of these events reflect his emotions gathered during these experiences. Through the speaker's emotional stance, the book is successful in gathering an emotional response from the reader. The poet's ability to gather such emotional contact and responses from the reader constructs a memorable literary work. One brilliant poem within the book, "Roll Call," achieves the idea of gathering an emotional response from the audience. The poem describes a day in which a platoon of troops honors those that were killed during combat. The bodies are missing so the living war buddies are "lined up for reveille, ready to roll-call each M-16 propped upright between a pair of jungle boots, a helmet on its barrel as if it were a man" (4,5,6,7,8,9). The image of the surviving men "burying" their dead invites an emotional response from the reader. A response that is formulated on how one feels when a solider dies during combat.

This is powerful poetry, so much that when I read it I feel like I'm there, watching him and the surroundings that he witnessed in his mind so well.

Some of his metaphors are almost magical in their quality, their effusiveness, and ability to draw you in. It's also helped by the fact that very few poets write about war like this. Sure, there've been the I Rhyme, You Die poets from the civil war or other periods of history, but nothing like this.

He talks about the soldier's main preoccupation: women, home, warm smiles, grenades, RPG's, and dying--of course. All the while you know that there's this inherent sadness he can't talk about while he's a soldier. That's what makes these poems run so deep. I especially liked the poem "Thanks". It was heartbreaking for me.

It's beautiful reading about these scars, sad as they may be. Being a Soldier is a tough man's job, and hopefully people will read this book of poems and realize that.

Yusef Komunyakaa is the kind of poet that wins people over with his honesty. I agree with Adam from Mercer Island when he says that "This is powerful poetry, so much that when I read it I feel like I'm there, watching him and the surroundings that he witnessed in his mind so well." The most impressive aspect of Komunyakaa's poetry is his ability to create realistic visual images within the mind of the reader. The poet does, as Adam from Mercer Island mentioned, make the reader feel as if they are a part of the moment. The connection created allows the reader to fully understand the depth of meaning in each poem. There are several poems within Dien Cai Dau that accurately depict this concept.
The poem "A Greenness Taller Than Gods" is an excellent example of Komunyakaa's use of imagery. The poem begins with, "When we stop,/a green snake starts again/through deep branches./Spiders mend webs we marched into./Monkeys jabber in flame trees,/" (1-5) It is evident from the opening lines that Komunyakaa has a talent for creating visual images. It is like the reader is there with his platoon marching through the jungle and taking orders from the point man. In each of his poems, Komunyakaa also shows the fragile side of the soldiers. In "A Greenness Taller Than Gods", the speaker conveys this fragility by voicing the fears of the soldier. Lines 9-12 state, "The lieutenant puts on sunglasses/& points to an X circled/on his map. When will we learn/to move like trees moves?". The soldier struggles to move like trees knowing full well that it is not possible to do so. The reader gets the idea that the soldiers attempted to do many things that verged on impossible, which causes the reader to sympathize with their situation. Another poem that causes the reader to sympathize with the speaker of the poem is "You and I are Disappearing".
In "You and I are Disappearing", the poet is describing a scene that most people would never want to see in their lifetime. The opening lines state, "The cry I bring down from the hills/belongs to a girl still burning/inside my head. At daybreak/she burns like a piece of paper." (1-4). The visual image created here is vivid, although disturbing. The poet goes on to use several similes to further describe the state of the burning girl. The picture that is painted in the mind of the reader is graphic and forces the reader to understand what the soldiers of Vietnam had to witness and take part in. The poem is a successful attempt at portraying the depravity of the Vietnam War.
Along with Adam from Mercer Island, I too enjoyed the poem "Thanks". This poem creates some very realistic visual images and makes the reader think long and hard about luck and fate. The speaker of the poem is a soldier who is thanking whomever was responsible for him living through the war. Although I agree with Adam from Mercer Island in that the poem is touching, I do not see how it would be heartbreaking. I believe that the overall feel of the poem is encouraging. It makes the reader feel like there is always someone or something watching out for those that we care about when they are at war. I think that "Thanks" is one of the most uplifting poems in the entire book.
Other than the visual images that Komunayaa creates, another strong aspect to his poetry is the way in which he looks at war. As Adam from Mercer Island describes, "He [Komunyakaa] talks about the soldier's main preoccupation: women, home, warm smiles, grenades, RPG's, and dying-of course.". In the poem "Between Days", the poet speaks of a mother whose son has died in the war. The woman does not want to face the fact that she has lost her son, therefore she pretends like he is still going to come home. This aspect of war, the ones left behind, is not a popular subject for war poetry. The poem is such an accurate portrayal of the things that mothers must feel when they lose their sons in battle. The heartbreak is so hard to bear that they just avoid the situation all together. The poet depicts the scene in lines 6-13 by saying, "The room is just as he left it/fourteen years ago, everything/freshly dusted and polished/with lemon oil. The uncashed/death check from Uncle Sam/marks a passage in the Bible/on the dresser, next to the photo/staring out through the window.". Komunyakaa portrays the woman as holding on when war is thought to be about letting go. The woman is faithful to her son even after fourteen years and the situation is both encouraging and heartbreaking. Encouraging in the sense that the woman is still willing to wait for her son and won't cash his death check, but heartbreaking in that the reader knows that one day she is going to have to face the fact that her son is gone.
Komunyakaa's poetry is inspiring. He takes war and puts it into images and concepts that even someone who has never and will never experience war can relate to.
Each poem takes a different look at the Vietnam War, or just war in general, which allows the reader to better understand the situations and feelings that come with fighting in a war. Komunyakaa is an excellent poet and truly has a gift for connecting to his audience. Dien Cai Dau is a powerful book of poetry that uses imagery to connect the reader to the speaker in each poem which, in turn, will bring a new understanding of the Vietnam War to anyone who reads it.

I truly enjoy reading the classics. However some classics must be translated. Some translations loose meaning since you can not translate word for word. Only the meanings can be translated and with the evolving English language sometimes words can have skewed definitions. John Ciardi is the best Dante translator I have read. Signet has done a good job at this price point. The Devine comedy is a book set that will expand your understanding on many uncannonized ideas. The Inferno (Signet Classics)The Paradiso (Signet Classics)The Purgatorio (Signet Classics)

Translators, according to the Italian proverb are traitors.
There is no way around it, something is always lost in the
leap from one language to another. You can consult a modern
'adaptation' of Shakespeare to get the feel of what has to
be surrendered.

John Ciardi decided to keep the original rhyme scheme: 'aba'
in which the poem is divided into groups of three lines of
which the first and third rhyme. In Italian, this is fairly
easy, in English a great deal more difficult.
So in order to keep the feel of the tercets (as they're called)
Ciardi sometimes had to stray a bit from the literal
meaning. Nothing vital is lost, but the specialist will
surely find some points to dispute.
For the rest of us, this is a first-rate view into a world
we can barely otherwise imagine. Ciardi's notes and glosses
on the cantos are breezy, illuminating and approachable.

There are other, more correct translations- Mandelbaum's
is first among them -that might be better for the specialist
or the student of the Italian Language. I notice, however,
that when I want to spend a pleasant few moments in the
Poet's company that this is the translation I usually reach
for.

--Lynn Hoffman, author of New Short Course in Wine,The and
bang BANG: A Novel ISBN 9781601640005

Dante travels through the heavens growing ever closer to the source of all things, God. He learns a host of things from the spirits there who want to give nothing but love to Dante, to God, and to adore God. It is their pleasure to help Dante. For example, towards the end of the poem he learns about Adam and how long he abided in the Garden (the one from the end of Purgatorio and from which they begin their last journey in the Paradiso).

In order to experience some of the things in the heavens Dante needs to go way beyond normal human perception. The experience of heaven is so great that apparently all that he relates to us about it is but a shadow of how he saw it. It's experience is stamped forever on his heart, but Dante says its detail dissipates. I think of it like when you have a dream that you remember always, but the details do not necessarily stick in your mind though it is imprinted there nevertheless.

To me Dante seems to have guided his audience on a mystic journey. Whether he was a mystic or not I'm not clear on, but like other poets he reveals to us the truth of things.

+++++

(Note: this review is for the book "The Paradiso" translated by John Ciardi and published by Signet Classics in 2001.)

In book one containing part one (or "canticle" one) of Dante Alighieri's (1265 to 1321) three part "The Divine Comedy" entitled "The Inferno," a journey of spiritual enlightenment is begun by Dante by descending into Hell and discovering the reasons for eternal suffering of souls. In book two containing part two entitled "The Purgatorio," Dante ascends the mountain of Purgatory where there is purification of sin. In this book (book three), Dante ascends to Heaven to experience "the Love that moves the Sun and the other stars."

Dante begins this part of his journey by stating the following:

"Whatever portion time
still leaves me of the treasure of that kingdom
shall now become the subject of my rhyme."

Dante is saying that in the time left to him, the subject of this part of his "rhyme" or poem will be "that kingdom" of heavenly Paradise.

There is an introduction by Professor John Freccero. (We are not told what university he's associated with.) He does a good job of highlighting key aspects of this poem.

The late John Ciardi, former poet and professor at Rutgers and Harvard universities, translated this poem from its original 1300's Italian into English. He states that he has translated this poem for one major reason: for "the pleasure of a beginning student reading in translation." The poem's translation, he admits, is not over-scholarly. Scholars and purists may thus not appreciate Ciardi's translation. I, however, enjoyed his rhyming translation.

Dante's heavenly Paradise is based on an Earth-centered model of nine spheres (individually called "heavens"). Going outward from the Earth, they are as follows:

(1) the Moon
(2) Mercury
(3) Venus
(4) the Sun
(5) Mars
(6) Jupiter
(7) Saturn
(8) the Fixed Stars
(9) Primum Mobile (Prime Mover)

The Prime Mover is the sphere that contains the divine power to move these heavenly bodies. Beyond the Prime Mover is the Empyrean (pronounced "Em-pi-reen"). The Empyrean is God's realm of pure light and is Dante's final destination.

Thus, this heavenly paradise that Dante travels through consists of ten parts that comprise thirty-three episodes (or "cantos").

Unlike parts one and two, Dante takes the majority of this final journey with his guide and former love Beatrice. Along the way, the travelers and the reader encounter such things as biblical figures and references, philosophers, people of Dante's time, legends, saints, and angels.

As with parts one and two, this part is a narrative poem whose greatest strength lies in the fact it does not so much narrate as dramatize its episodes. It is a visual work that sparks your imagination.

Ciardi's mini-summary in italics before each episode gives the reader a glimpse of what to expect in a particular episode. His (foot)notes at the end of each episode highlight our understanding of key passages within each. For me, Ciardi's mini-summaries and notes that accompany each episode are the cornerstone to understanding what Dante was attempting to convey. As well, Dante can be challenging and tedious to read at times. These mini-summaries and notes help the reader meet the challenge and overcome the tedium.

There are three illustrations in this book. They increase the understanding of and add another visual dimension to the poem.

I should mention the impressive art on the cover of this book. It has a reproduction of the 1825 painting by William Blake showing Dante in the Empyrean. It has a river called the River of Light. Dante is shown drinking from this river.

It is possible to read this part without reading the first two parts. However, to experience the full impact of this part, I would recommend reading the first two parts first before reading this part.

The only noticeable problem I had with this book is that it did not have a diagram of the heavenly Paradise to help the reader know beforehand where this journey was going. The first two parts have these helpful diagrams.

Finally, as I mentioned, this is a very imaginative poem. Thus, I recommend "The Dore Illustrations for Dante's Divine Comedy" (1976) by Gustave Dore. This book will add another vivid visual dimension to the poem.

In conclusion, don't miss this final phase of Dante's amazing journey. This brilliant translation allows the reader to experience what Dante was attempting to convey when he wrote this poem almost seven centuries ago!!

(published 2001; acknowledgements of translator; introduction; 33 cantos; poem, canto mini-summaries, and canto (foot)notes comprise 345 pages; 3 illustrations)

+++++

Travel to the most light-forbidden spot on Earth.

Wait for night to fall. . .

Look up at the sky. . .

and count the stars.

That's how many stars I'd give John Ciardi's wonderful translation of Dante's Paradiso (indeed, the whole trilogy, but especially this)!

When reading this book it's almost impossible I'd say to not feel the same sense of awe as Dante does as he beholds the splendors of Heaven. This book makes you feel uplifted, upbeat, almost as if you're being catapulted through the Heavens right alongside Dante himself.

Of course, to get the full effect from reading this book you have to understand most of what goes on. And that is where the John Ciardi translation really shines. Just as Beatrice is Dante's guide, so is John Ciardi your guide through Heaven.

The Divine Comedy was written in the 1300's and how many people can honestly say that they understand Italian politics and history from that time period? Maybe Umberto Eco does (of "The Name of the Rose" fame), but that's a huge minority. But fear not, for every Canto opens with a short summary of what is about to be revealed next to Dante. One need not worry about this summary spoiling the story, either, as there really are no plot twists in The Paradiso. Although I have to admit that the last scene involving Dante and Beatrice was a bit shocking (to Dante, too) and even managed to form a few tears in my eyes.

After the summary there is the Canto itself and what I like most about this is how everything rhymes (ABA ABA, etc.) and still is rather easy to read. This text is uninterrupted, which is great if you happen to be an advanced reader of Dante and don't want to stumble into little numbers next to words referring you to footnotes all the time.

Again though, not many of us can say we're "Advanced readers of Dante", so for those of us in that crowd each Canto is finished with a healthy amount of footnotes that do an excellent job of explaining the politics and history in simple terms. You very well might still finish the Canto not understanding everything 100%, but you'll be much better off than if you tried to understand everything on your own. Think of it as Cliff's Notes already built into the book itself. Wonderful idea!

If you're still wondering if you should read this book, don't.

Trust me.

Everything is better in Paradise.

Divine Subjection: The Rhetoric Of Sacramental Devotion In Early Modern England by Gary Kuchar (Assistant Professor of English, University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada) is a blend of theoretical analysis and close readings in historical context in order to better understand the connection between devotional literature and early modern English culture. Chapters discuss the "gendering" of god in the poetry of Richard Crashaw, representation and embodiment in John Donne's "Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions", representation of the recusant soul in the works of Robert Southwell, and concepts of body, word, and self as written by Thomas Traherne. A meticulous and scholarly text for intermediate to advanced history, theology, and philosophy students, Divine Subjection treats its subject matter with psychoanalytical expertise and in-depth examination.

Divine Subjection: The Rhetoric Of Sacramental Devotion In Early Modern England by Gary Kuchar (Assistant Professor of English, University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada) is a blend of theoretical analysis and close readings in historical context in order to better understand the connection between devotional literature and early modern English culture. Chapters discuss the "gendering" of god in the poetry of Richard Crashaw, representation and embodiment in John Donne's "Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions", representation of the recusant soul in the works of Robert Southwell, and concepts of body, word, and self as written by Thomas Traherne. A meticulous and scholarly text for intermediate to advanced history, theology, and philosophy students, Divine Subjection treats its subject matter with psychoanalytical expertise and in-depth examination.

Divine Subjection: The Rhetoric Of Sacramental Devotion In Early Modern England by Gary Kuchar (Assistant Professor of English, University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada) is a blend of theoretical analysis and close readings in historical context in order to better understand the connection between devotional literature and early modern English culture. Chapters discuss the "gendering" of god in the poetry of Richard Crashaw, representation and embodiment in John Donne's "Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions", representation of the recusant soul in the works of Robert Southwell, and concepts of body, word, and self as written by Thomas Traherne. A meticulous and scholarly text for intermediate to advanced history, theology, and philosophy students, Divine Subjection treats its subject matter with psychoanalytical expertise and in-depth examination.

Divine Subjection: The Rhetoric Of Sacramental Devotion In Early Modern England by Gary Kuchar (Assistant Professor of English, University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada) is a blend of theoretical analysis and close readings in historical context in order to better understand the connection between devotional literature and early modern English culture. Chapters discuss the "gendering" of god in the poetry of Richard Crashaw, representation and embodiment in John Donne's "Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions", representation of the recusant soul in the works of Robert Southwell, and concepts of body, word, and self as written by Thomas Traherne. A meticulous and scholarly text for intermediate to advanced history, theology, and philosophy students, Divine Subjection treats its subject matter with psychoanalytical expertise and in-depth examination.

Divine Subjection: The Rhetoric Of Sacramental Devotion In Early Modern England by Gary Kuchar (Assistant Professor of English, University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada) is a blend of theoretical analysis and close readings in historical context in order to better understand the connection between devotional literature and early modern English culture. Chapters discuss the "gendering" of god in the poetry of Richard Crashaw, representation and embodiment in John Donne's "Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions", representation of the recusant soul in the works of Robert Southwell, and concepts of body, word, and self as written by Thomas Traherne. A meticulous and scholarly text for intermediate to advanced history, theology, and philosophy students, Divine Subjection treats its subject matter with psychoanalytical expertise and in-depth examination.