Mr. Sneeden is a friend from my high school years, and I revisited this book of his poetry recently. I don't often read poetry, but this book reminded me of home, in New England, in the summer. Evidence of a Journey evokes old memories of growing up. I returned to exploring the woods in New Hampshire and skipping rocks on Pleasant Lake. If you're reading, thanks Mr. Sneeden!
Key Takeaways:
I feels strange talking about "takeaways" from a book of poetry, but here's what I learned:
Memorable Quotes:
Rating: 9/10
As I mentioned, I don't read much poetry, but going forward I'll investigate more. If you have any recommendations, please let me know!
Key Takeaways:
I feels strange talking about "takeaways" from a book of poetry, but here's what I learned:
- Cherish your relationships with your family and friends.
- Take time to enjoy the beauty and serenity of nature.
- This might be a coincidence, but while reading this anthology, I found I had very vivid dreams. This is new for me, and I enjoyed the experience.
Memorable Quotes:
- A split quiver, the lampreys, more eel than fish, settled in eddies because I'd flogged their smug immunity to the bronze current with my broken hockey stick, bashed my wavering self, Narcissus and Maenad in cut-offs, sneakers, until I'd left a trail of floating bodies, golden undersides bobbing between bulrush, lily, left them like the river's roadside trash. (From Apologia)
- Past the wrack of crab-shrapnel, promontory's bleached mosaic of broken mussels, we'll have avoided a life of events like lower case letters rife with nubs of entry, tails of exit to the next. (From Horns Unknown)
- Your friends have gone to Florida where the Intercoastal Waterway is a sort of Styx and the sun is hot, an aztec sun with a tongue that's a blade of obsidian, demanding blood and human hearts. (From Your Friends Have Gone to Florida)
- Ahead, voluptuous rubble, collapsing banks of wave and cloud: welter of beautiful failures where the sun has parked a rusting chariot to work inside his torch's aura, lone welder perched in the girders of another cold morning, while I retreat into the convenient shortcomings of my omniscience, like the un-heroic narrator of The Firebird describing the hero's progress, I've no idea how long he rode. You can tell a story in no time, but it's another matter to live one. (From Evidence of the Journey)
Rating: 9/10
As I mentioned, I don't read much poetry, but going forward I'll investigate more. If you have any recommendations, please let me know!