In rob mclennan’s Periodicity Journal, prize-winning Ottawa poet Jean Van Loon gives Life, after life—from epitaph to epilogue a very fine reception. Here’s a link to the post:
JC Sulzenko thanks Van Loon for her careful consideration of this collection of found poems, written under the pen name A. Garnett Weiss.
Van Loon comments on the collection of 60+ poems as a whole and shares her response to three poems in more depth. She concludes her review with these words:
“Though the elements used to write Life, after life are not drawn from poetry, they are drawn from accounts of real lives, each with its specific pleasures and griefs, adventures and disappointments, and Weiss has found the poetry in them. She has creatively selected and juxtaposed concrete and original images, spending time among the original fragments to allow her poetic imagination to discern a thread of story, feeling, mood. The tightly compressed poems she weaves with these threads, convey astute political commentary, emotional weight, and philosophical insight—all applicable to lives beyond those celebrated in the original obituaries. This book is a box of savoury bites to please a poetic palate.”
JC is grateful to rob mclennan for publishing this review on the heels of book launches in Toronto, Ottawa, and Picton.
Copies of Life, after life—from epitaph to epilogue are available through www.jc.sulzenko.com and from these excellent independent book stores: Book City in the Beach (Toronto); Perfect Books and Octopus Books (Ottawa); and Books & Company (Picton).
PERIODICITY JOURNAL on December 4 featured a review of LIFE, AFTER LIFE
In rob mclennan’s Periodicity Journal, prize-winning Ottawa poet Jean Van Loon gives Life, after life—from epitaph to epilogue a very fine reception. Here’s a link to the post:
https://periodicityjournal.blogspot.com/2024/12/jean-van-loon-life-after-life-by.html
JC Sulzenko thanks Van Loon for her careful consideration of this collection of found poems, written under the pen name A. Garnett Weiss.
Van Loon comments on the collection of 60+ poems as a whole and shares her response to three poems in more depth. She concludes her review with these words:
“Though the elements used to write Life, after life are not drawn from poetry, they are drawn from accounts of real lives, each with its specific pleasures and griefs, adventures and disappointments, and Weiss has found the poetry in them. She has creatively selected and juxtaposed concrete and original images, spending time among the original fragments to allow her poetic imagination to discern a thread of story, feeling, mood. The tightly compressed poems she weaves with these threads, convey astute political commentary, emotional weight, and philosophical insight—all applicable to lives beyond those celebrated in the original obituaries. This book is a box of savoury bites to please a poetic palate.”
JC is grateful to rob mclennan for publishing this review on the heels of book launches in Toronto, Ottawa, and Picton.
Copies of Life, after life—from epitaph to epilogue are available through www.jc.sulzenko.com and from these excellent independent book stores: Book City in the Beach (Toronto); Perfect Books and Octopus Books (Ottawa); and Books & Company (Picton).
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