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Where Shadows Go
This book is one of lamentation. It is a search for some foothold on the slippery slope ('it's all downhill from here') of chronic and terminal illness. Just as in the Book of Job, there are no easy answers - in fact, there are no answers; only the questioning, the refusal to accept 'nothing less than more'.
182 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 3, 2014
I've been re-reading and re-thinking and changed my rating from 3 and a half to 4 stars.I read and loved Kathryn’s earlier book 'A Slight Fuzzing of Perspective' which was joint winner of the Caleb Poetry award 2011, so I was really looking forward to reading this book. While I found it intriguing to read, it is a book that doesn’t pull any punches. The poet leaves herself exposed and vulnerable. It is an emotional read and I could feel the pain of the poet and the rejection experienced at times. For this reason it is not a comfortable read, though it is worth reading.
'Between' was one of my favourites with its 'sovereign silk of night' and the bleak retort of humour in 'Protective Custody.' Then there is the mask presented to the world in 'Bashful' and the bleak humour in 'From Your Service Provider.' This is contrasted with the delicate short poem 'Wind Weighted' on the adjoining page. One that is very stark is 'Shame
Diagnosis kissed
my lungs and those present
friends fled
stripping me naked
of love'
Others, including 'Fire Sale 1' and 'Fire sale 2,' are real, heartfelt and heartbreaking. At times that made it hard to keep reading. 'Do Not' echoes that of the famous Dylan Thomas poem but with a twist. 'Manners for the Dying' presents a true but sad comment on society and the way people often shy away from the terminally ill.
Another favourite was the short poem 'On the Way Home,' beautifully enhanced by the accompanying colour photograph. I also loved 'Where Shadows Go,' the title poem and the simplicity of 'Inbox flashes up.' In some poems like 'Expectation' and 'Retreat' the tone is an honest outpouring of emotion that is angry and accusatory.
Like her earlier book this one s beautifully presented with not only poems but accompanying black and white and the occasional stunning colour photographs and illustrations. The cover is brilliant. However I failed to see the purpose of the accompanying CD. I guess I was expecting to hear the poems read or some accompanying music. What my computer picked up was a load of noise that sounded like static. Maybe that was the point? If so I missed it. I opted to not persist any further with that to see if it changed into anything less offensive to the ears.
This is a book to read more than once and to read perhaps in smaller portions, so the poems can be digested fully.
'Between' was one of my favourites with its 'sovereign silk of night' and the bleak retort of humour in 'Protective Custody.' Then there is the mask presented to the world in 'Bashful' and the bleak humour in 'From Your Service Provider.' This is contrasted with the delicate short poem 'Wind Weighted' on the adjoining page. One that is very stark is 'Shame
Diagnosis kissed
my lungs and those present
friends fled
stripping me naked
of love'
Others, including 'Fire Sale 1' and 'Fire sale 2,' are real, heartfelt and heartbreaking. At times that made it hard to keep reading. 'Do Not' echoes that of the famous Dylan Thomas poem but with a twist. 'Manners for the Dying' presents a true but sad comment on society and the way people often shy away from the terminally ill.
Another favourite was the short poem 'On the Way Home,' beautifully enhanced by the accompanying colour photograph. I also loved 'Where Shadows Go,' the title poem and the simplicity of 'Inbox flashes up.' In some poems like 'Expectation' and 'Retreat' the tone is an honest outpouring of emotion that is angry and accusatory.
Like her earlier book this one s beautifully presented with not only poems but accompanying black and white and the occasional stunning colour photographs and illustrations. The cover is brilliant. However I failed to see the purpose of the accompanying CD. I guess I was expecting to hear the poems read or some accompanying music. What my computer picked up was a load of noise that sounded like static. Maybe that was the point? If so I missed it. I opted to not persist any further with that to see if it changed into anything less offensive to the ears.
This is a book to read more than once and to read perhaps in smaller portions, so the poems can be digested fully.
August 24, 2014
From our CALEB reviewers about both Lady in Waiting and Where Shadows Go:
In each of these volumes Hamann has focused on the journey of the aged, and especially on the trials and suffering associated with dementia. The physical and mental seesawing of both victim and carer are presented in a variety of forms, from simple couplets to three-page narratives. Appropriate photographs and drawings add visual interest. Where Shadows Go also includes a thirteen-minute CD called Nebuliser by Vord, as an auditory accompaniment – if readers feel the need for computerised minimalism.
The collections cannot be classed as recreational reading, perhaps being something of a catharsis for the writer; but there are poems of deep insight, of poignancy, even of drama, that prevent these becoming merely volumes of self-pity. Faith is challenged and so is God; the inadequacies of humanity are made clear, and also the plethora of emotions attached to the ending of a life. Despite the personal and intimate nature of the material, these books might be helpful to others experiencing similar circumstances. LH
In each of these volumes Hamann has focused on the journey of the aged, and especially on the trials and suffering associated with dementia. The physical and mental seesawing of both victim and carer are presented in a variety of forms, from simple couplets to three-page narratives. Appropriate photographs and drawings add visual interest. Where Shadows Go also includes a thirteen-minute CD called Nebuliser by Vord, as an auditory accompaniment – if readers feel the need for computerised minimalism.
The collections cannot be classed as recreational reading, perhaps being something of a catharsis for the writer; but there are poems of deep insight, of poignancy, even of drama, that prevent these becoming merely volumes of self-pity. Faith is challenged and so is God; the inadequacies of humanity are made clear, and also the plethora of emotions attached to the ending of a life. Despite the personal and intimate nature of the material, these books might be helpful to others experiencing similar circumstances. LH
May 6, 2014
In the foreword to this collection, Kathryn Hamann describes it as ‘a book of lament [that] follows in the same tradition of the Psalms and the Book of Job’ (p. xi). Through the window of her own pain and suffering, the poet examines the question of ‘Why?’, but doesn’t give pat answers. Indeed, she knows from personal experience with chronic illness that glib answers do not achieve anything. The poetry that has emerged from those experiences is brutally honest, often expressed with raw emotion. This does not always make for comfortable reading, as the poet rails against the church, the medical profession, fair weather friends and an apparently absent God. However, it’s not a bad thing for the reader to be so shaken. I found myself questioning my own responses. How do I treat people with chronic illness or disability? Why did I react to that statement about God? In this way, the reader engages with the poet as she questions various circumstances.
Although Hamann warns the reader that this book ‘is the grumpy poet’s guide to illness’ (p. v), it is not all doom and gloom. There is beauty, humour, and a determination to cling to God even when it doesn’t feel as if He’s there. The more hopeful poems are even stronger when cast against the darker ones: ‘On the bare board / of my heart that has / for a long time fed / no one least / of all / myself / let me cradle you / my Christ’ (p. 95).
On a practical note, the layout of the book is also very pleasing. Most of the poems are accompanied by photography or artwork that enhances the overall feel of the text. Shorter poems provide breathing spaces along the way. The book also comes with a CD by William Hamann that includes an instrumental piece to accompany the poems.
There is much beautiful imagery in this book, but it is not for the faint-hearted. It is confronting and challenging, yet inspiring and rewarding. It is recommended for all those who are not afraid to see their faith stripped bare before it can be fully grasped.
Although Hamann warns the reader that this book ‘is the grumpy poet’s guide to illness’ (p. v), it is not all doom and gloom. There is beauty, humour, and a determination to cling to God even when it doesn’t feel as if He’s there. The more hopeful poems are even stronger when cast against the darker ones: ‘On the bare board / of my heart that has / for a long time fed / no one least / of all / myself / let me cradle you / my Christ’ (p. 95).
On a practical note, the layout of the book is also very pleasing. Most of the poems are accompanied by photography or artwork that enhances the overall feel of the text. Shorter poems provide breathing spaces along the way. The book also comes with a CD by William Hamann that includes an instrumental piece to accompany the poems.
There is much beautiful imagery in this book, but it is not for the faint-hearted. It is confronting and challenging, yet inspiring and rewarding. It is recommended for all those who are not afraid to see their faith stripped bare before it can be fully grasped.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews