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lauraew333's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
1.0
Used sexual assault casually as a plot device in a poem near the middle. Stopped reading after that.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape
raloveridge's review against another edition
5.0
There is a blueprint of something never finished, something I'll never
Find my way out of, some web where the light rocks, back & forth,
Holding me in a time that's gone, bee at the windowsill & the cold
Coming back as it has to, tapping at the glass.
The figure in the hourglass & the body swinging in the rhythm of its work.
The body reclining in bed, forgetting what it is, & who.
While the night goes on with its work, the stars & the shapes they make,
Cold vein in the leaf & in the wind,
What are we but what we offer up?
—"Elegy For Whatever Had a Pattern In It"
Find my way out of, some web where the light rocks, back & forth,
Holding me in a time that's gone, bee at the windowsill & the cold
Coming back as it has to, tapping at the glass.
The figure in the hourglass & the body swinging in the rhythm of its work.
The body reclining in bed, forgetting what it is, & who.
While the night goes on with its work, the stars & the shapes they make,
Cold vein in the leaf & in the wind,
What are we but what we offer up?
—"Elegy For Whatever Had a Pattern In It"
katepowellshine's review against another edition
4.0
Some of these poems were almost unbearably depressing: "Heaven was neither the light nor was it the air, & if it took a physical form/It was splintered lumber no one could build anything with." (from "Elegy with a Bridle in Its Hand") Well written, but dark.
iammandyellen's review against another edition
5.0
The beauty of these poems is hard to believe. A truly rich gathering.
eggmama's review against another edition
I saw the poem "Boy in Video Arcade" on Twitter and loved it, so I bought this collection. On the whole, I was a bit disappointed, as I didn't like the rest of the poems as much as I thought I would. However, there were some really lovely lines and images. I think it's interesting that these poems were published after his death and unedited - I'm curious to know what he would have changed / how he would have revised them.
My favorites:
- Boy in Video Arcade
- Elegy with a Thimbleful of Water in the Cage
- Elegy Ending in the Sound of a Skipping Rope
My favorites:
- Boy in Video Arcade
- Elegy with a Thimbleful of Water in the Cage
- Elegy Ending in the Sound of a Skipping Rope
m_figg's review against another edition
2.0
Not crazy about books built after the author dies. But I love the work of Larry Levis.
dilan11's review against another edition
5.0
A poet of images, beautiful, concrete, surprising images.
And the voice, the voice has authority so that the reader sits up and listens. Try reading them aloud - the music of them entrances even when the meaning is not clear. I love "The Cook Grew Lost in His Village, the Village in the Endless Shuffling of Their Cards" poem.
Ultimately it is about death and how prescient is that considering Mr. Levis died unexpectedly in the middle of composing these poems.
I was moved in a way that only the best poetry can.
And the voice, the voice has authority so that the reader sits up and listens. Try reading them aloud - the music of them entrances even when the meaning is not clear. I love "The Cook Grew Lost in His Village, the Village in the Endless Shuffling of Their Cards" poem.
Ultimately it is about death and how prescient is that considering Mr. Levis died unexpectedly in the middle of composing these poems.
I was moved in a way that only the best poetry can.
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