Oh

by Cole Swensen

Poetry. Cole Swensen, in this elegant suite, seems to slide a blade through the operatic repertory, not exactly a knife, more like a corkscrew, spiraling from one unpredictable scene to another. Her pitch is perfect, her tempo uncanny -- Keith Waldrop. Cole Swensen's PARK and NOON are also available from SPD.

Genres: Poetry

71 pages, Paperback

First published January 15, 2000

About the author

Cole Swensen (b. 1955— ) in Kentfield near San Francisco, Swensen was awarded a 2006 Guggenheim Fellowship and is the author of over ten poetry collections and as many translations of works from the French. A translator, editor, copywriter, and teacher, she received her B.A. and M.A. from San Francisco State University and a Ph. D. in Comparative Literature from the University of California, Santa Cruz before going on to become the now-Previous Director of the Creative Writing Program at the University of Denver. Her work is considered Postmodern and post-Language school, though she maintains close ties with many of the original authors from that group (such as Lyn Hejinian, Carla Harryman, Barrett Watten, Charles Bernstein,) as well as poets from all over the US and Europe. In fact, her work is hybrid in nature, sometimes called lyric-Language poetry emerging from a strong background in the poetic and visual art traditions of both the USA and France and adding to them her own vision.

Reviews

[Knar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just a slap of lines:

“[The] fact that it happens on stage doesn’t mean it isn’t really happening."

“There are women for whom it just doesn’t work out. The catalyst in the slow cases is simple circumstance: it’s so easy to be born in the wrong place, to fall in love with a broken man who breaks… ‘You crawl toward something all your life.’”

“If love’s mystery is greater than death // ‘I have kissed your mouth.’”

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the day before Thanksgiving. I stole it from the Poetry center and read it while everyone was getting the festivities rolling. It was one of the golden days on 4th street with Kristi, Jimmy, Josh, Andy, Mellisa. Everyone together overstuffing the oversized kitchen. I emailed Paul with a joyful email. I was imagining something so different.