Stern, Gerald

Although this book quickly follows In Beauty Bright, which might leave readers wondering how fresh these poems feel, these ultimately thoughtful narrative recollections from and about the poet himself should do well in most general poetry collections. [See Prepub Alert, 10/24/16.]

Stern knows that, energetic as they are, these poems are especially cryptic and personal ("There is only one other person who understands this,/ the rest will have to go by language alone"), and perhaps only his most dedicated fans and friends will absorb them fully. But they are well wrought, sharply edged, and proof that the desire to comprehend one's way in the world never diminishes.

What a pleasure it is to read not what happens but how the speaker’s mind works through it. The tumbling lines of David Kirby come to mind but with a Sternian succinctness; Stern has pretty nearly perfected the vigorous one-sentence poem.