Book Review: Poems: 1947-1954 by Weldon Kees

Poems, 1947-1954
by Weldon Kees (811 K25p)

Weldon Kees is one of Nebraska’s best-known poets, but he is remembered mostly for his disappearance in July of 1955 in San Francisco. His new car was left at the Golden Gate Bridge and his body was never found — one of the great mysteries of that time. Born in Beatrice, Nebraska, Weldon graduated from Beatrice High School and attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln as well as several other colleges. Poet, artist, film maker, musician and lyricist, Kees was well-known in the literary circles in New York and as an artist with a flair for abstract expressionism. Lincoln City Libraries was gifted with the Kees collection of letters and photographs from his mother, Sarah Kees, in the 1960s. As I have been working on the Kees Project this summer, I have been fascinated by the letters Weldon wrote to his friend Norris Getty, asking for critical advice for his poetry as he prepared it for publication. I decided to check out this collection of Kees’ poetry because it was discussed at some length between Kees and Getty. The first poem I read was “The Hourglass,” one of the finest poems I have ever read. Although not all of the poems in this collection are as well done as this one, they are definitely worth reading. Kees struggled with his poetry, bringing emotion and angst to his writing as he sought just the right words to express his feelings. Many of his poems hint at his depression and thoughts of suicide, while other poems are light or flippant in nature. I recommend this collection to anyone who is interested in the work of Weldon Kees or in poetry by Nebraska poets.

 

(If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Weldon Kees and the Midcentury Generation: Letters 1935-1955 by Robert Knoll, Selected Short Stories of Weldon Kees by Weldon Kees or The Fall of the Magicians by Weldon Kees.)

 

( Wikipedia entry for Weldon Kees )

 

Recommended by Kim J.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

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Book Review: What I Lick Before Your Face and Other Haikus by Dogs by Jamie Coleman

What I Lick Before Your Face and Other Haikus by Dogs
by Jamie Coleman (821 Col)

 

This is a hilariously funny look at dog psychology, in the form of poetry. Author Coleman combines very expressive dog photos with haikus — a very structured form of Japanese poetry, always composed of three lines — 5 syllables, 7 syllables, then 5 final syllables.

 

The haikus are ostensibly written by the dogs, and combine amusingly with the chosen images. Some work better than others, but on the whole the book is a quick read that will lead to many chuckles, at least if you’re a dog lover. Subject matter ranges over everything that dogs experience, especially in their relationships to both the humans in their lives and other dogs — playing fetch, eating, “walkies”, being left alone in the house all day, sniffing things, more eating, etc.

 

Fun, funny and entertaining. Also, something you’ll read in less than a half hour!

 

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try I Could Chew on This: and Other Poems by Dogs, and I Could Pee on This: and Other Poems by Cats, both by David Marciuliano.]

 

[ publisher’s official What I Lick Before Your Face web page ] | [ official Jamie Coleman Twitter feed ]

 

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

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Review: Gmorning, Gnight! by Lin-Manuel Miranda

Gmorning, Gnight: Little Pep talks for You and Me
by Lin-Manuel Miranda [811 Mir] 

I’m a huge fan of Lin-Manuel Miranda! I’ve loved his music for the Broadway musicals Hamilton and In the Heights, and am impressed enough by his creativity and general positivity, that I follow him on Twitter, where he regularly contributes short (under 240 characters) poetic “inspirational” tidbits at the start and end of most days of the week.

This book is a compilation of some of the most memorable of his inspirational Tweets — it is classified in the poetry section here at the libraries, but could just as easily be placed in the Self-Help Psychology section as well.

Miranda is a master with words, both in the classic sense of writing structure, but also in the category of applying a modern, hip-hop sensibility to how to say things. His Tweets are no exception — they range from very traditional poetic statements to highly experimental wordplay. Often, the two tweets from the start and end of the same day are mere variations on each other, or are at least thematically linked.

Taken individually, Miranda’s inspirational statements are just the kind of uplifting “you can do it” encouragements a lot of people might need on any given day. And I did (and do) enjoy them in that context. Reading an entire book of such missives, however, was a bit much for me, and they all started to sound alike. This collection would probably be better enjoyed if the reading of it could be spread out over time — put it on a shelf and pull it down to read a few affirmations at a time.

So…in the end, I’m only giving the book a “6” rating, but if you enjoy Miranda’s style, I encourage you to subscribe to his Twitter feed.

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try The Ten, Make That Nine, Habits of Very Organized People. Make That Ten: The Tweets of Steve Martin, by Steve Martin.]

[ publisher’s official Gmorning Gnight page ] | [ official Lin-Manuel Miranda web site ]

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library

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#NotYourPrincess edited by Lisa Charleyboy and Mary Beth Leatherdale

#NotYourPrincess: Voices of Native American Women
edited by Lisa Charleyboy and Mary Beth Leatherdale [j 970.1 Not]

This book is for the young Native American woman who would like to see more of herself in print. It touches upon the stereotypes we have about Native American women and busts them. The poetry, short essays, and visual art are each thoughtfully placed for maximum impact. I would caution a reader to take their time and read pieces multiple times to absorb everything the authors are trying to impart with us. My favorite poem is “The Things We Taught Our Daughters” by Helen Knott. Aside from teaching us about some of the patterns that have perpetuated violence in our history, this book is critical because it also features role models (the authors and protagonists themselves) from many tribes around the continent. I would gift this to a young woman of color, even from another racial or ethnic background, because it reminds the reader that they have the strength they need inside themselves. I mean to say that those who do not have mainstream princess stories published about them yet *do* have incredible stories to tell, and I hope we continue to see more books and other works of art created by the folks who have historically been pushed too far into the sidelines.

[ publisher’s official #NotYourPrincess web site ]

Recommended by Naomi S.
Eiseley and Williams Branch Libraries and the Bookmobile

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Book of Nature Poetry edited by J. Patrick Lewis

Book of Nature Poetry
edited by J. Patrick Lewis [j811.08 Nat]

A beautiful ‘coffee table book’, this is appropriate for readers of any age. Produced by National Geographic and edited by J. Patrick Lewis, former US Children’s Poet Laureate, it is full of gorgeous photographs to accompany the many poems, old and new, about flora, fauna, and other natural topics and phenomena. A variety of poets, ranging from venerable scribblers such as Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost to ‘youngsters’ in the field of young people’s poetry like X. J. Kennedy and Jane Yolen, are represented. The shortest (and funniest) verse in the book may be this, by Douglas Florian:

The Rhea
The rhea rheally isn’t strange –
It’s just an ostrich, rhearranged.

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Julie Andrews’ Treasury For All Seasons, by Julie Andrews.]

[ publisher’s official Book of Nature Poetry web site ] | [ official J. Patrick Lewis web site ]

Recommended by Becky W.C.
Walt Branch Library

Don't forget -- April is National Poetry Month!

 

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Hard Times Require Furious Dancing by Alice Walker

Hard Times Require Furious Dancing
by Alice Walker [Hoopla Digital Resources]

Hoopla and Overdrive are great resources if you’re like me and want to constantly keep a #poeminyourpocket. This was my favorite poetry book of the last three I tried this month. This breezy read is full of simple yet beautiful lines that repeat only when absolutely necessary, engage the exact readers who need to learn from her wisdom, and remind us of our shared humanity. It is full of humanist and Buddhist lessons, so it sometimes feels like you are reading from a meditation book. She gives us ideas about where meanness comes from and what might happen when you offer it tea, and she describes to us how the love between a human and a pet can heal a broken heart. I strongly feel there is at least one page in this book for everyone who is open-minded about the power of poems.

[ official Hard Times Require Furious Dancing page on the official Alice Walker web site ]

Recommended by Naomi S.
Eiseley and Williams Branch Libraries and the Bookmobile

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Nebraska Poetry: A Sesquicentennial Anthology edited by Daniel Simon

Nebraska Poetry: A Sesquicentennial Anthology
edited by Daniel Simon [ 811.08 Sim ] 

In conjunction with the statewide celebrations of Nebraska’s 150th anniversary of Statehood in 2017 (a “sesquicentennial”), this marvelous hardback anthology, covering the history of poetry by poets from Nebraska, was released at a gala event at the Bennett Martin Public Library downtown on April 2nd, 2017. This book, featuring over 160 works by over 80 Nebraska poets, covers the entire 150-year history of Nebraska, from the very first poem published after our statehood was established, to selections by several of today’s most acclaimed and active poets in the state. Organized in chronological order, the first part of the book features selections from some of Nebraska’s most famed authors, including Willa Cather, Bess Streeter Aldrich, Loren Corey Eiseley and John G. Neihardt. The middle section of the book is dedicated to poets who made a strong impression in the early and middle parts of the 20th century, including long-time State Poet William Kloefkorn, two-time National Poet Laureate Ted Kooser, current State Poet Twyla Hansen and many more. The latter part of the book features selections from many of today’s up-and-coming Cornhusker wordslingers.

If you’re a fan of poetry from Nebraska, and have followed any of the 80+ poets represented within, I recommend this anthology to expand your reading. If you are dabbling in the literary world of Nebraska history as the state celebrates its 150th birthday, this is a great sampler, that may lead you to numerous poets whose more extensive works exist in the libraries’ collection. And even if you’re just a poetry fan who doesn’t care where the poets originated, this is a still a stellar collection, filled with excellent representative samplings from a variety of regional authors. And it seems especially fitting to be reviewing this volume in April, which is National Poetry Month!

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try many of the volumes of poetry collections by Nebraska poets, found in the American Poetry section of the non-fiction collection — 811 (Poet’s name).]

[ official Nebraska Poetry: A Sesquicentennial Anthology web page] | [ Nebraska 150 Books challenge ]

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library

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Gilgamesh: A New English Version, edited by Stephen Mitchell

Gilgamesh: A New English Version
edited by Stephen Mitchell [299.92 Gil 2004] 

This epic poem reminded me of reading Beowulf. They are both quick reads because of the lengthy introductions and notes sections make the actual story is only about half of the book. Gilgamesh is the main character and is a king of super human strength who is not a particularly nice guy. During the book he befriends a man named Enkidu, a wild man of nature created by the gods to befriend and reform Gilgamesh. He’s tamed by a woman from the city who goes to him in the wilderness and later takes him to the city. Gilgamesh and Enkidu have many epic adventures together but in time Enkidu passes away. So saddened and moody by the death of his friend, and contemplating his own life, Gilgamesh undertakes a journey to find eternal life. He is sort of successful, but it does not turn out like he wanted. In the end he realizes and accepts humans can’t live forever but humanity and his city are able to carry his legacy farther into the future than he’ll be able to live. I thought it was a pretty good story with a lot of adventure, different characters, and food for thought. It’s definitely a story with a moral or message to it but different people will interpret it differently. If you like reading classic literature and enjoy philosophical/literary discussions you’ll probably like this book. I think it may work well for a book group book, even if it’s just a two person book group, because there are a lot of potential conversations you can have about it.

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Beowulf: A New Verse Translation, by Seamus Heaney, 829.3 BeoYH, The Song of Roland, 841 Cha 1992]

[ Wikipedia entry for Gilgamesh ] | [ official Stephen Miller’s Gilgamesh web site ]

Recommended by Kristen A.
Gere Branch Library

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New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewers recommendations!

Life Could Be Verse by Kirk Douglas

Life Could be Verse: Reflections on Love, Loss and What Really Matters
by Kirk Douglas [Biography Douglas]

This is a slim but delightful little volume from the legendary actor Kirk Douglas. Though he has been a poet for most of his life, finding comfort in expressing himself through verse, it has been since his January 1996 stroke that Douglas has spent more time on his written words -- the stroke left it very difficult for him to speak normally. In this little volume, Douglas combines his poems with an extensive collection of photographs from throughout his lengthy career. Douglas is 98 years old at this time, and as he looks back over an unforgettable life, to share some bits of pieces with the reader, we are treated to his terrific sense of humor and can really see the joy he feels in his career and family accomplishments. There are other, more detailed, biographies of Douglas available, including his own book My Stroke of Luck, but if you're looking for a light read, filled with rare photographs, and some surprisingly touching poetry, I recommend giving this short book a try! -- recommended by Scott C. - Bennett Martin Public Library [ see Scott's Reviewer Profile and more of his reviews ]

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try My Stroke of Luck.]

[ publisher's official Life Could be Verse page ] | [ Wikipedia page for Kirk Douglas ]

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New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewers recommendations!

I Could Chew on This: and Other Poems by Dogs

I Could Chew on This: And Other Poems by Dogs and I Could Pee on This: And Other Poems by Cats
by Francesco Marciuliano [817 Mar]

This pair of humor volumes, released in 2012 (Cats) and 2013 (Dogs), are perfect little bon mots of hilarity for anyone who considers themselves to be either a dog-lover or cat-lover at heart. Marciuliano pairs gorgeous photos of individuals dogs or cats, with poems, ostensibly written by a dog or cat, and therefore presented in the pet's mindset. If you've ever wondered what's on the mind of your household fur-covered companion, you'll find these little gems to be right on the money. The photos are perfect pairings with many of the poems -- the expressions on the animals' faces perfectly match the subject matter and attitude expressed in the poetry. Although both of these books were quick reads -- 30 minutes each at most, I laughed longer and more continuously at each of them than at many so-called "humor" books by stand-up comics. The only drawback -- if you're not a "pet person", you may not get as much out of these! -- recommended by Scott C. - Bennett Martin Public Library

[ official Marciuliano web site ]

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The Lure of the Limerick

The Lure of the Limerick: An Uninhibited History
by William S. Baring-Gould [820.08 Bar]

Baring-Gould makes a point, early in this book, that the Limerick is a literary form that appeals mainly to men, and that most anyone who is a fan of this poetical form has probably memorized at least one Limerick from their past. That is definitely the case with me -- I was first introduced to this art form in junior high school, and still remember one particular Limerick, from (of all places) an Isaac Asimov poetry collection! The Limerick is a very controversial form of poetry -- not only for the strictness of its format, but also for the frequently scatological and/or sexual nature of limericks' subject matter. Baring-Gould's volume, originally published decades ago, makes for fascinating reading. Accompanied by classical, titilating illustrations, some may find the content of this objectionable, but those wishing to take a good look at the origins and development of limericks over the course of English literature, this is a great read! -- recommended by Scott C. - Bennett Martin Public Library

There was a young lad name of Bob
Who carried his watch on a fob
I haven't got time
To make this all rhyme
Or I'll never get back to my job! - sc 5/2011


[ Wikipedia page on William S. Baring-Gould ] | [ Wikipedia page on Limericks ]

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New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide web site. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month.

National Poetry Month at your Libraries!

"There was a young lass name of Mary
Whose poetry interests did vary
Cummings, Frost, Plath and Poe
Kloefkorn, Yeats and Thoreau
And she found them all at her library!"

Stop in to your local library to enjoy National Poetry Month in April by checking out the English-language poetry collections in the 811 (811.08 for multi-author anthologies) and 821 (821.08) sections of the non-fiction. There's a special display up at Bennett Martin Public Library on the 2nd floor...and there may be more displays at your local neighborhood branches as well!

There's also Poetry-related booklists on the BookGuide site:

• A Crop of Words [Nebraska Poets]
• The Good Life -- Nebraska Authors [Bethany Branch Booktalk, February 8, 2008] [Meredith M.]
• Native Voices [contemporary Native American writers - including poets]
• Nebraska Author Weldon Kees [general fiction, poetry, reviews and essays]
• Nebraska Author John G. Neihardt [general fiction, poetry, non-fiction]

Grand Canyon and Other Selected Poems

Grand Canyon and Other Selected Poems
by Amil Quayle [811 Qua]

This is a handsome volume of diverse poems collected over a lifetime's work. Quayle utilizes a colloquial style to achieve a direct, intimate connection with his readers. Every poem is a journey, physical, emotional, and spiritual, and by the end, we feel as if we have gotten to know an old friend. Illustrated with many photographs and drawings. [If you like this one, you may also enjoy Village Journal by Greg Kuzma and We Have Always Been Coming to This Morning by Greg Kosmicki] -- recommended by Jim W. - Gere Branch Library

[ Quayle interview at Idaho State University ] [ Amil Quayle page at the Nebraska Center for Writers ]

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New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide web site. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month.

The Sweet Breath of Life

The Sweet Breath of Life: A Poetic Narrative of the African-American Family
by Ntozake Shange [811 Sha]

The Sweet Breath of Life: A Poetic Narrative of the African-American Family combines stunning black and white photography with beautiful poetry documenting the African-American life. Poet Ntozake Shange combines her striking work with the acclaimed photographers of Kamoinge Inc. In the introduction of the book, Frank Stewart discusses the inspiration of his photography, as well as a brief history of the Kamoinge Workshop. If you only read one book this month, I would recommend that you read this one. -- recommended by Patty L. - Walt Branch Library

[ Publisher's Sweet Breath of Life web site ] [ Wikipedia entry on Ntozake Shange ]

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Read...Discuss...Repeat! - September - Restoring the Burnt Child

The September selection for BookGuide's Read...Discuss...Repeat! has been posted.

This month's title is Restoring the Burnt Child: A Primer, the 2003 autobiography (the 3rd volume in a planned 4 volume set) by Nebraska State Poet William Kloefkorn. Previously the 2008 selection for the statewide One Book One Nebraska program. Kloefkorn is a Lincoln resident, a Professor Emeritus at Nebraska Wesleyan University, and has celebrated over 25 years of serving as the Nebraska State Poet.

Stop by the Read...Discuss...Repeat! page on BookGuide for background information about the book, a list of "readalikes", and links to web sites related to the book and author. Then (or now), if you've read the book, stop by and fill out our on-line comment form to share your thoughts and opinions about Restoring the Burnt Child!

Staff Recommendation - The Dream Keeper and Other Poems

The Dream Keeper and Other Poems

by Langston Hughes [811 Hug]

One of the best collections of his poetry! -- recommended by Rayma S. -- South Branch Library

[ The Langston Hughes Society ] [ Langston Hughes page on Wikipedia ]

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