Tuesday, November 20, 2018

Poets and Poems: Luke Kennard and “Planet-Shaped Horse”


When you’ve written an entire book of poetry about the biblical character of Cain, like British poet Luke Kennard has done, it should be a surprise to find his other books of poetry are just as surprising and just as entertaining, and tell often wildly entertaining stories, as the work on Cain.

Consider Kennard’s 2013 collection Planet-Shaped Horse. There is no title poem. He ranges on subjects and a landscape that often seem disjointed and playful while simultaneously discussing subjects as varied as the prophet Elijah and the flatness of one’s elbows. He writes about his own death, stupid words, hermits, the idea of pilgrimage, being a snob and time capsules. A character named Miranda appears in several of the poems, and you wonder if she’s a girlfriend, a literary device, a muse, or perhaps someone who’s keeping the poet honest.

To continue reading, please see my post today at Tweetspeak Poetry.

No comments: