Rayfish by poet Mary Hickman
received the 2016 James
Laughlin Award of the Academy of American
Poets, given to recognize an outstanding second collection by an American
poet. It is a collection of 15 longish prose poems, each an ekphrastic poem
inspired by a work of art, a cultural artifact, a photograph, and much more.
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| Mary Hickman |
It is more than
worthwhile to read these poems aloud; in fact, it may be mandatory. For it is
only by reading them aloud that one finds the rhythm and pace of each poem,
hears and experiences the drama building in the narrative, and even tastes the
precision with which Hickman writes.
We find poems
like “Still life with Rayfish,” inspired by a painting by the Russian artist Chaim Soutine
(1893-1943) and a poem about the life of artist Andy Warhol. We read “I Have
Had Many Near-Death Experiences,” based on a dance by the Japanese dancer Kazuo Ohno (1906-2010). We
discover the poetry inspired by an invasive garden weed, hip replacement
surgery, and open-heart surgery (Hickman worked in the medical field for a
time). And the poetry of a photograph.
To continue
reading, please see my post today at Tweetspeak
Poetry.
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