What do you think?
Rate this book
The Wall & Beyond
As the volume’s title suggests, my recurring motif is “the wall.” It reflects the confrontation between dreams and reality, between individual and institution. It also depicts my sense of estrangement following my immigration from Poland to the US in 1988. Finally, it echoes my struggle with the idea of God against the experience of religion and world’s theodicy. Probing the wall’s nature, I gradually come to realization that the wall is part of human nature. Ultimately, I always strive to affirm life—to reach beyond the wall.
68 pages, Paperback
First published October 19, 2012
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
April 14, 2013
Joanna Kurowska’s latest book of poetry, her fourth published collection, is an enjoyable, concise presentation of fifty-three poems spanning as many pages. One might initially think that the collection is sparse, but after reading just the first few poems, you will quickly come to realize that there is much more on the pages than meets the eye.
Throughout the poems, there is a recurring motif of “the wall.” The author shared with me that “the wall” signifies a dividing line of sorts between various pole opposites she has experienced throughout her life: dreams and reality, the idea of God and world suffering, estrangement and acceptance. She understands “the wall” is part of human nature, and she has vowed to strive to reach beyond the wall, to affirm life as she knows it and wants it to be.
As I began to read the book, I felt the presence of “the wall” in my own way, a feeling I often get when I begin to read a work of fiction by a new author, and especially when I read poetry. The poet must convey story and meaning and a sensory perspective, all with the minimum of words. The words must be perfect—select and few. The metaphors must be meaningful and appropriate. The poet must say much without saying anything at all, and in effect, puts up a wall between the poet and the reader. I vowed to reach beyond that wall to try to understand what the poet was trying to say. Often, finding the true meaning is much like an archaeologist trying to carefully unearth a buried treasure. You have to dig and separate and brush off the stuff that gets in the way.
For me, the joy in reading poetry is to be such an excavator. I want to learn about the author. I want to understand what the author is trying to convey and at the same time, I want to understand the author’s approach to conveying that meaning. As readers, we also get to filter the words through our own individual interpretation. That’s the true beauty of poetry. For the reader, it’s as much about what he or she gets from the poem—personally, spiritually. I can’t say that I perfectly understood every poem, but I was at least left with what the poem meant to me.
The Wall & Beyond was educational and enlightening. The author immigrated to the United States from Poland in 1988, and there is much of her time in Poland that is conveyed in her poems. Poem after poem, I found myself pulling out my dictionary or getting online to research a word or a place that was unfamiliar. I learned about where she came from. I traveled with her on her journey, and in the end, I was fortunate to feel, if only slightly, what she felt.
I was especially taken by her simple poem, in a train:
people caught in oddity,
bashful, open their faces
and cast around
little question-hooks
they catch nothing
save identical faces
of other passengers wrapped up
in wall-like silence
How true it is that we live in a world, in a society, where we all live together and yet each of us puts up a wall, a wall keeping others out and at the same time keeping us from reaching out.
There were many instances when I wanted more. Maybe there was nothing more that the author wanted to say, or to share. But I had made the investment, and I wanted a bigger return. There are several poems that are four, six, and eight lines in length, and when I came to the last word of the poem, I wondered if there needed to be more. The author made the decision, but as a reader, I’m not sure I wanted to let it end. Often, my mind went further to explore the possibilities. Just as often, I let it end as the author intended.
The Wall & Beyond is a quick read for those who want to read quick, and it is a book of poetry that can linger on for as long as you wish. There is plenty in this slim book to keep even the most particular reader engaged and thinking, two objectives every writer should strive to achieve into their work. At the end of the book, I found that I was able to break down the wall between poet and reader, and Joanna Kurowska did a fine job of reaching a hand over and pulling me to the other side.
Throughout the poems, there is a recurring motif of “the wall.” The author shared with me that “the wall” signifies a dividing line of sorts between various pole opposites she has experienced throughout her life: dreams and reality, the idea of God and world suffering, estrangement and acceptance. She understands “the wall” is part of human nature, and she has vowed to strive to reach beyond the wall, to affirm life as she knows it and wants it to be.
As I began to read the book, I felt the presence of “the wall” in my own way, a feeling I often get when I begin to read a work of fiction by a new author, and especially when I read poetry. The poet must convey story and meaning and a sensory perspective, all with the minimum of words. The words must be perfect—select and few. The metaphors must be meaningful and appropriate. The poet must say much without saying anything at all, and in effect, puts up a wall between the poet and the reader. I vowed to reach beyond that wall to try to understand what the poet was trying to say. Often, finding the true meaning is much like an archaeologist trying to carefully unearth a buried treasure. You have to dig and separate and brush off the stuff that gets in the way.
For me, the joy in reading poetry is to be such an excavator. I want to learn about the author. I want to understand what the author is trying to convey and at the same time, I want to understand the author’s approach to conveying that meaning. As readers, we also get to filter the words through our own individual interpretation. That’s the true beauty of poetry. For the reader, it’s as much about what he or she gets from the poem—personally, spiritually. I can’t say that I perfectly understood every poem, but I was at least left with what the poem meant to me.
The Wall & Beyond was educational and enlightening. The author immigrated to the United States from Poland in 1988, and there is much of her time in Poland that is conveyed in her poems. Poem after poem, I found myself pulling out my dictionary or getting online to research a word or a place that was unfamiliar. I learned about where she came from. I traveled with her on her journey, and in the end, I was fortunate to feel, if only slightly, what she felt.
I was especially taken by her simple poem, in a train:
people caught in oddity,
bashful, open their faces
and cast around
little question-hooks
they catch nothing
save identical faces
of other passengers wrapped up
in wall-like silence
How true it is that we live in a world, in a society, where we all live together and yet each of us puts up a wall, a wall keeping others out and at the same time keeping us from reaching out.
There were many instances when I wanted more. Maybe there was nothing more that the author wanted to say, or to share. But I had made the investment, and I wanted a bigger return. There are several poems that are four, six, and eight lines in length, and when I came to the last word of the poem, I wondered if there needed to be more. The author made the decision, but as a reader, I’m not sure I wanted to let it end. Often, my mind went further to explore the possibilities. Just as often, I let it end as the author intended.
The Wall & Beyond is a quick read for those who want to read quick, and it is a book of poetry that can linger on for as long as you wish. There is plenty in this slim book to keep even the most particular reader engaged and thinking, two objectives every writer should strive to achieve into their work. At the end of the book, I found that I was able to break down the wall between poet and reader, and Joanna Kurowska did a fine job of reaching a hand over and pulling me to the other side.
October 30, 2012
As the holiday season comes upon us, I must admit that the first poem that really struck me was 'a carol'. Joanna is able to put so much detail and emotion into so few lines. As a poet who usually takes more room than is needed to express myself, I really admired Joanna's conciseness the most. These poems are easy to read in one sitting, but would need hours to truly digest fully. If you are looking for something to muse over- whether it be for pleasure-reading or as a supplement to your daily devotionals- these poems are packed with simple lines to mull over in a mental place of peace, and contain seeds of thoughts to cultivate at any time of the year. Beautiful work!
January 10, 2014
This collection pulsates -- between in and out, small and big, particular and abstract. It is alive.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews