Star in the Eye

by James Shea

"Winner of the 2008 Fence Modern Poets Series Prize, selected by Nick Flynn."

Genres: Poetry

57 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2008

Reviews

[D.A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some fantastic poems. Thanks to David Trinidad for this wise recommendation.

[Benjamin Niespodziany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this debut book! I read 'The Lost Novel' first and like it a wee bit more, but this one was just as entertaining and enjoyable. The 29 fragments of 'Dream Trial' at the end are especially enjoyable.

[Evan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Humor is difficult to achieve in poetry. Often its either a). hey, I can say poopie in a poem; I'm such a rule-breaker! or b). watch me be wry, intelligent, well-read and just top-drawer head-of-the-class-too-clever-by-half. Either way, it's the self-conscious pose that sucks the pleasure from the poem (for example, the otherwise amazing "Rhode Island Notebook" is marred by Gudding's Poundesque attempts to achieve the funny by way of the mots justes of Propertius or other Romans (you have to say mot juste when discussing Pound or Roman-cizers). Its self-congratulatoriness is painful).

But that ain't James Shea: he's managed to capture a dry, deadpan kind of humor. Not self-deprecating, naughty, wise-ass, or sophisticated but quietly incisive, aware of presumption, self-love and High Poeticism wherever they lie and able to excise them with a quick, sharp raised eyebrow.

It's a rare talent among poets -- Shea's too clever to come off as clever.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some poems I feel 5+ about, others I feel only 2 about.

5 +'s (mostly ones that really struck me as interesting makings/remakings, or otherwise play on some established form, which I dig like crazy):

Crises
The Riverbed
Haiku (LOVE the whole form, structure, movement of this; knock-out ending)
Poem
Unperfectable
First Requiem
Death Poems (I'm a huge fan of the Japanese Death Poems; love Shea's play with this)

As for the 2-ish poems... my main complaint about these is I'd be reading them, thinking "this is pretty good writing... where's the rest of it?" I feel like there's too much removed from some of them, like in the 6 short line "Hwan's Condition." I believe it's possible to write a very short, but nonetheless complete poem. Several (especially shorter poems) in this collection don't strike me as complete.

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't remember why I got this book of poetry. I think I got it to feel like a real poet or something. But whatever the case, it didn't change my life. It merely gave me a few new passing thoughts.

[Noah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not quite what I remember from reading Shea's work. Though there are many brilliant poems in this collection.

[Hafizah · Rating 5 out of 5]

my favorite book of poetry, hands down.

[Heather Gibbons · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this one. A wonderful first book.