Carl Phillips (1) (1959–)

Phillips is a poet of long discursive lines and an ability to describe the human predicament in philosophical and interesting associations, often to do with nature and landscapes - particularly here, horses, bees, and the sea. In the title poem of this new collection he associates the problem of memory, what we remember that we wouldn't if we got to choose what we remember, with horses long tamed being freed and unexpectedly re-entering a past state of being, suggesting there's a kind of violence to it. "There's so much I'd rather not remember, that to be asked to do so can seem a cruelty, almost" is a sentiment most readers can likely identify with - the memories bringing back what was lost, what could have been, but wasn't.

On a first reading my favorite of these poems is "On Being Asked To Be More Specific When It Comes To Longing", a poem about either love or existential meaning, maybe both. In the poem, the speaker comes into a meadow of silverrod plants, "each stem briefly an angled argument against despair, then only weeds by a better name again", and stumbles through the twilight, his actions "like taking a horsewhip to a swarm of bees, that they might more easily disperse", until finally he comes to a sort of revelation "from the smudged edge of all that seemed to be left of what we'd called belief, once", seeing the human body "made out of a ruin a light" used to both find ourselves and each other, for "when afraid, what is faith, but to make a gift of yourself - give; and you shall receive", he concludes, quoting from the gospel of Luke.

But there's so much more; a Phillips collection always rewards continuous returns, letting the waves wash over and break, and recede, and wash over and break, and recede... a rhythmical pattern within that is deeply true.… (lisätietoja)

“But what hasn’t been damaged? History here means a history of storms rushing the trees for so long, their bowed shapes seem a kind of star - worth trusting, I mean, as in how the helmsman, steering home, knows what star to lean on.” - SWIMMING

“Don’t you see how you’ve burnt almost all of it, all the tenderness, away, someone screams to someone else, in public - and looking elsewhere, we walk quickly past, as if even to have heard that much might have put us at risk of whatever fate questions like that spring from.” - MONOMOY

“Two points make a line - but so does one point, surely, when pulled at once in two opposed directions: how to turn away from what’s familiar, for example, toward what isn’t defines hope well enough, but can define, too, despair...” - THAT IT MIGHT SAVE, OR DROWN THEM… (lisätietoja)

These brief essays canvas a range of topic surrounding the life of a writer. Carl Phillips is a poet, so the focus is his personal relationship with the writing of poetry. But the themes apply more widely, indeed very likely beyond the realm of writing altogether. And in any case, Phillips’ writing is a pleasure to read from any perspective, a form of belles-lettres I suppose.

I’m not sure that the essays have much practical guidance for the young writer, other than perhaps the chapters on stamina and practice, for surely it will take stamina and a lot of practice to embark upon a life in writing. But it is delightful to follow Phillips’ own exploration of his personal relationship with writing. And perhaps that is enough.

Gently recommended.… (lisätietoja)

A rightly acclaimed collection of poetry that spans several decades of this talented author's work. Every poem is totally unique and makes the reader excited to read the next. One of the overall themes is the importance of seeing, feeling and touching nature around us. After reading this you will no longer take a walk without actually "seeing" what is there. I have never read an author that uses punctuation better to make you focus and pay attention to his works. This is a lovely and beautiful collection of verse.… (lisätietoja)