What We’re Reading: The Delightfully Dark Side of Myths and Poetry
What have you done to our ears to make us hear echoes? by Arlene Kim, published by Milkweed Editions.
A recent U of M MFA Creative Writing grad, Arlene’s whole collection is executed beautifully. A haunting Donnie Darko-esque cover greets you at first glance, by Arlene’s sister, Michelle Kim. Turn to the first poem, and you’ve entered a surreal fantasy world where fairy tales are dangerous and twisted, and nothing is really as clear as you’d like. Yet in the end, that’s what makes it so darkly delightful. Her sister’s cover art gains even more depth once you read all the poems that are addressed to “sister.”
My (and Hazel’s) mother loves chickens, so the poem “Hunt, Peck” really stuck with me, for that reason, and also because it’s a great example of effective onomatopoeia. Here’s one stanza from it:
“chickens. Inelgant, graceless.
Beaky pullets. Pillow-
breasted, neck and caw, claw,
jab. Kernels pricked, break.
Dropped and pecked. Uneven
stabs. A nib, a nibble. Sharp peck
per seed. Each seed a letter.
Pock. Pock.”
The poems are chock full of complex emotion and chewy language. One of my favorite poems was “Mountains” — it’s very raw, pitying, and honest. Another fantastic poem, “Paper Suns,” melds together the myth of Icarus and his wax wings with a lover. In “The Cutting,” you get a sense of the inescapable sisterly bond that haunts the collection throughout and will break your heart. Then again, I am obviously partial to sisterly bonds, so take that as you may.
This collection is teeming with references to other literature and myths. The back pages include a section of notes in which Arlene points out these references, adding another dimension that I wholly appreciated. Arlene takes us on a journey through history and fantasy from her very contemporary and relevant voice.
Basically, I cannot find enough words to sum up why I loved this collection. Every time I turned to a new poem, I found myself completely engrossed, completely in awe of this poet and her strengths and stories. Do yourself a favor, and read it.
Do you have a book that you simply love in every way? Have you read some great poetry or prose lately that harkens to myths and history?
