The Want Bone

by Robert Pinsky

The Want Bone, "It’s largely about making, which is also destroying. Civilization in all of its horror and ugliness and its beauty consists of, you know, it’s really all the work of Shiva, the Hindu god with the hammer who makes and breaks any artifact you look at."
-- Former U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky

Genres: Poetry

84 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1990

About the author

Robert Pinsky is an American poet, essayist, literary critic, and translator. From 1997 to 2000, he served as Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress. Pinsky is the author of nineteen books, most of which are collections of his own poetry. His published work also includes critically acclaimed translations, including The Inferno of Dante Alighieri and The Separate Notebooks by Czesław Miłosz. He teaches at Boston University and is the poetry editor at Slate.
wikipedia

Reviews

[Gerry LaFemina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Several times a year, I revisit books of the late 20th century masters, and Pinsky is surely one of those. Much of this book reveals and revels in his strengths, particularly his fine ear and his capacity to engage history and myth, but throughout the book, there's also a rhetorical sensibility that makes it feel like he's trying too hard to be a great poet, rather tan just writing the best poems he can.

[Tom Romig · Rating 4 out of 5]

Includes "Shirt," one of the most moving, unsettling poems I've ever read.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The beach scrubbed and etched and pickled it clean.
But O I love you it sings, my little my country
My food my parent my child I want you my own
My flower my fin my life my lightness my O."

(from "The Want Bone")


"We tilt roaring
Over the glittering
Zodiac of intentions"

(from "Immortal Longings")

[Jerry Oliver · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my first Pinsky read. Maybe he'll grow on me. A few left me dry but a few were amazing, especially Shirt. Jesus And Isolt was very interesting when I took the time to look up and educate myself on the legends of Tristram and Isolt in ancient poetry.

[feathers · Rating 3 out of 5]

definitely improved by imagining the ham himself reading it aloud to me.

[Jennifer J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love his religious imagery. It is so human and unforgiving.

[Donna Rae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lyrical lines but Brutal Imagination knocked this one down a star, really liked how Pinsky made cornflakes dangerous and Jesus became a mythical beast.

[Sophie]

The almost certainly invented heart/ which Buddah denounces, in its endless changes/ Forever jumping and moving, like an ape. -The Hearts

[Cgburke · Rating 5 out of 5]

A schooling in the use of language. The imagery, the literary and biblical allusions, the temperature of these poems are powerful.

[Mary Lea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful thought provoking prose