Unsparing Truths: On Lucille Clifton Unsparing Truths: On Lucille Clifton
A poet’s reckonings with suffering and indifference.
Jun 19, 2013 / Books & the Arts / Jordan Davis
Lyric Nation: Three Poems by Joseph Ceravolo Lyric Nation: Three Poems by Joseph Ceravolo
"Indian Song," "Untitled," "Hidden Bird"
Jan 7, 2013 / Jordan Davis
Shelf Life Shelf Life
David Orr’s Beautiful and Pointless: A Guide to Modern Poetry; Kenneth Goldsmith’s Uncreative Writings
Feb 15, 2012 / Books & the Arts / Jordan Davis
Three Poems by Jordan Davis Three Poems by Jordan Davis
"Jazz As a Way of Life," "Narragansett," "Ira Will Not Be Attending the Meeting"
Sep 26, 2011 / Jordan Davis
Talking With W.S. Merwin Talking With W.S. Merwin
The Poet Laureate Consultant to the Library of Congress talks about spontaneous demonstrations, his hope for poetry, and why he doesn't read criticism anymore.
Apr 27, 2011 / Books & the Arts / Jordan Davis
One of the Various: On Thomas Sayers Ellis One of the Various: On Thomas Sayers Ellis
The best poems in Skin, Inc. have an excellent unconscious feeling, even when the news is bad and Thomas Sayers Ellis knows nobody is going to want to listen.
Dec 16, 2010 / Books & the Arts / Jordan Davis
Shelf Life Shelf Life
The Kenning Anthology of Poets Theater; Terese Svoboda's Weapons Grade; Bob Hicok's Words for Empty and Words for Full.
Apr 22, 2010 / Books & the Arts / Jordan Davis
A Caller of the Dove A Caller of the Dove
In his poems, Mahmoud Darwish greeted even his own name warily, knowing it was something else he'd be forced to leave behind.
Apr 8, 2010 / Books & the Arts / Jordan Davis
Narragansett Narragansett
The complete sentence narrates a satisfying process. It closes and opens like a clam. I take a knife to the sentence and start my evening at the raw bar. It is hard work, and the sentences would prefer to be in the ocean. I would rather be a patron of this establishment. Someone over my shoulder Would rather know I am going to continue to put up with his stuff. It is not a wide receiver, his stuff. It is his development, Which is gradual. It involves testing me. Sometimes These tests take the form of imperatives. Drive onto the boat! The boat would rather be en route to Maine. It is an ambitious ferry. My knife wishes to whittle patterns Into the enormous picnic table. Art does not narrate.
Sep 23, 2009 / Books & the Arts / Jordan Davis
Into the Wardrobe: C.S. Lewis’s Narnia Into the Wardrobe: C.S. Lewis’s Narnia
Laura Miller's study of C.S. Lewis falls short of providing a coherent theory of Narnia's magic.
May 6, 2009 / Books & the Arts / Jordan Davis