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158th out of 198 books
—
80 voters
This Clumsy Living
by
Bob Hicok
I watched the young couple walk into the tall grass and close the door of summer behind them, their heads floating on the golden tips, on waves that flock and break like starlings changing their minds in the middle of changing their minds, I saw their hips lie down inside those birds, inside the day of shy midnight, they kissed like waterfalls, like stones that have travel...more
Paperback, 101 pages
Published
February 1st 2007
by University of Pittsburgh Press
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Arguably my favorite modern poet. He has a way, with simple words, to draw the reader into a subject under layers and layers of thought. My favorite one in this series is titled, "Team effort" and I read that one at least five times. I love his wry sensibility and deep contemplation which surfaces so effortlessly in each verse. This is what makes him my favorite I think, that he makes it look effortless- when writing poetry, excellent poetry, is truly never effortless.
I'm happy I read this, but I'm not sure how much I'll take from it except for a part from one long poem where he praises his dog for eating deer shit:
she is coprophagous, a beautiful word
for this habit of finding use in waste
Sometimes I tell her no (from "My faith-based initiative")
Also, there is a long prose poem around the middle of the book ("A letter: the Genesis poem") that offers this little gem on immigration: "Many people here don't want elsewhere people to become here people."
Bob Hicok...more
she is coprophagous, a beautiful word
for this habit of finding use in waste
Sometimes I tell her no (from "My faith-based initiative")
Also, there is a long prose poem around the middle of the book ("A letter: the Genesis poem") that offers this little gem on immigration: "Many people here don't want elsewhere people to become here people."
Bob Hicok...more
More poetry. I thought I liked this book quite a lot when I read only the highlights, or heard them. Read all together, Hicok has hits and misses; however, he is the master of the poetic digression and can make lists of completely unrelated things into a tight argument about something not mentioned at all. His blue-collar background gives an accessible and personable tone to his work.
Hicok seems like he has a perpetual stream of poetry running through his head at all times, and he just occasionally sits down to transcribe it. All the poems in the book feel like they could have started at any point, and continued to any length. Far from a negative, the effect is inspiring.
When I write a poem, I look at things in a very literal sense and utilize my personal experiences. Reading This Clumsy Living helped me look at things with a metaphysical eye and helped me with figurative language as well. Also, the book helped me to not be afraid with starting a poem from where you are sitting, then looking outward through thought.
Hands down, Hicok has some beautiful lines, but I left each poem empty handed. I feel cheated by one liners and technique. Not as impressed as all the people that recommend him!
May 02, 2007
martha
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
People who like awesome, accessible poetry.
Shelves:
poetry
Bob Hicok is one of my favorite poets and I was so excited to get my hands on this when it came out last month. Bob Hicok is fantastic. There's something really blunt and real in his poems. Publisher's Weekly compares him to Billy Collins, but I think he's a lot more like Jeffrey McDaniel, although he takes it a step further than either of them (maybe quite a few steps further than Collins -- sorry, Billy). Um, I want to say tons of smart stuff about it, but I can't, it's just great. The poems I...more
This was more surreal than I expected it to be. It probably deserves more stars, but I wasn't really in the mood for... ambiguity? poetic license? dreams? Postmodernisms? Anyhow, if that's your thing, you'll love these poems.
Hicok surprises me in his writing. He manages to combine things that don't seem related and suddenly you stumble into something so thoughtful and eloquent, it feels a bit mind blowing. I went back and re-read many of these. I think you start to see traces of the idea of his wife being sick in one of them, and if you go on to read Words for Empty and Words for Full, this will become even more apparent.
May 15, 2009
Sarah
added it
This Clumsy Living (Pitt Poetry Series) by Bob Hicok (2007)
This collection may cross into post-modernism too much for me.
great collection by a great poet. hicok has a way of bringing everyday, understated occurrences and feelings to rupture. immensely talented and highly addictive. after i finished this collection i went and bought every single collection he ever put out, all of which exceeded my expectations.
also just a note, i never liked poetry until i read hicok and something about his talent, it's subtlety and almost it's meekness just wins you over. if you are a fan of franz wright, you will enjoy hicok.
also just a note, i never liked poetry until i read hicok and something about his talent, it's subtlety and almost it's meekness just wins you over. if you are a fan of franz wright, you will enjoy hicok.
Picking a poet isn't easy. People find poetry hard to appreciate but I think it's only hard to appreciate if you've reading the wrong the poet, If you're reading someone else's poet. You have to find one that you naturally connect with. I've found one. His name is Bob Hickok. He's my poet, so like anyone who calls their kid the best kid, I call Bob Hicok the best poet.
This book inspired me to create a youtube show:
http://www.youtube.com/user/TubeYouPo...
This book inspired me to create a youtube show:
http://www.youtube.com/user/TubeYouPo...
kicks butt!
There were some astonishingly beautiful poems in this collection, especially in the middle of the book, but there was an equal number (maybe more) that fell flat for me. The high points were worth 5 stars, but I couldn't justify giving the book a higher rating because of how many poems didn't click for me. It's still definitely worth a read, though.
I love the layering of fresh images and narrative in this book. I have some favorites in this book that I keep coming back to over and over again, even though I've finished reading it. My favorites include "Her my body," "Elsewhere" and "Switching to deer time."
It took me several poems to get my bearings in this one. But I'm a fan, so I continued on...
Sure enough, by about 1/3 of the way in, the guy started blowing my head off with so many individual lines, as well as entire poems. This is the good stuff!
Sure enough, by about 1/3 of the way in, the guy started blowing my head off with so many individual lines, as well as entire poems. This is the good stuff!
really beautiful collection - both comic and sorrowful
reminded me of how powerful well-placed humor is in the best writing
and also of the Woody Allen quote - comedy is simply tragedy plus time...
reminded me of how powerful well-placed humor is in the best writing
and also of the Woody Allen quote - comedy is simply tragedy plus time...
While some of the poems in this volume can get a little self-indulgent, it also includes one of my favorite poems of all time and several more that I keep coming back to.
I decided I don't care for this poet's work so much... he always takes the direction I don't want him to go.
Another one of my extensive reviews: this book is amazing. That is all.
blistering, tender, "a softness of phantom limbs marching through the forest," a shiver, an assault on silence, a brilliant ballet of words, life on a page.
Dec 05, 2010
Tina Schumann
added it
LOVE Bob Hicok. Never predictable,aways fun and occasionaly moving.
fun
interesting (good interesting)
poetry
i
aspire
to
interesting (good interesting)
poetry
i
aspire
to
i really like the style of this poetry. completely accessible.
One of the great new voices in contemporary poetry.
I think Bob Hicok is the male version of me.
Because I love the Bobs of poetry
Bob Hicok is truly great.
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Bob Hicok was born in 1960. His most recent collection, This Clumsy Living (University of Pittsburgh Press, 2007), was awarded the 2008 Bobbitt Prize from the Library of Congress. His other books are Insomnia Diary (Pitt, 2004), Animal Soul (Invisible Cities Press, 2001),a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award, Plus Shipping (BOA, 1998), and The Legend of Light (University of Wiscons...more
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