“A hurl of crows”

fretwork (Kuhl House Poets) by Michele Glazer        

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“A hurl of crows”

I love that phrase from the piece entitled “fretwork” within this rather poignant collection of poetry and prose. An air of reflective sadness, maybe grieving acceptance  hangs over many of the works. Indeed the sense of loss and questioning.

Like this line from Acceptance, 

“What vagueness has overtaken us like a slow-ripening cataract the eyes accept.”

or this from Yellow,

“ it is like having yellow, yellow! with nothing to fix it to.”

or the painful piece Asunder,

“ Missing is not a thing done. Missing should be dwindling! Let missing behave like other gerunds— you could arrest it. But someone is missing as she recedes.”

And then there’s Path of Totality, 

“Where does a gaze end when there is nothing to stop it.”

The juxtaposition of words and ideas, the exploration of vision and meaning is rather breathtaking.

An awful (in the positive sense of the word), provocative and evocative compilation to be quietly sipped and appreciated.

A University of Iowa Press ARC via NetGalley 

Please note: Quotes taken from an advanced reading copy maybe subject to change