Poetry has an ephemeral essence that is deeply moving and mystifying. The voice that comes through is a mirepoix of the writer & the reader. Christian Wiman (Nat'l Book Critic Circle Award for Poetry '14) uses words the way a sculptor molds clay or the way a dancer moves in space. The poems in ONCE IN THE WEST leave an intangible imprint on one's inner being. The placement of the words on the page form beautiful compositions; nuanced with subtlety & impact. Perhaps best read aloud to enhance their eloquence, each poem possesses its own radiance. Many of the topics confront religion & faith. Some may consider them sacrosanct. I found candor & courage in Wiman's grappling with these issues. Winman confronts death & his own mortality. And, by doing so, finds affirmation in life.
Love is the living heart of dread
Love I love you unto the very edge of being
Dead
Many of the poems have a melancholy overtone. Some are whimsical. A stanza from "Razing a Tower," stirred my soul.
Vanish the dancer and the dance remains
a time, an agile absence on the air.
I cannot say what, or why, or even when it was.
I only know it happened, and I was there.
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