It's Just You & Me, Miss Moon

by Emily Moon

"In the first poem of this collection, Emily Moon shows us Weldon Kees at his typewriter, making art 'for a future that looks/as empty and bleak/as the present'-thereby flashing Kees out of the mid-twentieth century into our time. Here are the haze of cigarette smoke, the taste of whiskey, jazz on the soundtrack, walk-ons by Pope Francis and Frida Kahlo, and locations chosen or invented by Moon, the poet-director. Here is her version of Kees' shadow/symbol, the character Robinson, presented as an obsession. These poems about Kees offer mysteries, deeply appropriate for a man whose life story includes his sudden disappearance in 1955-a mystery still, serving here as a touchstone for Moon's poetry." -Judith Arcana
" Emily Moon's debut explores a groundbreaking potential for mystery. Lines like, 'Sounds of the harbor clanked around us. / Salt breeze carried a tang of diesel / and sewage. / A clock chimed some ways off. / He checked his watch. Cinderella hour' bring this poetical film noir to life. For the reader interested in both story and lyricism, it's just you & me, miss moon is in a revelatory league of its own ." -Hannah Beresford, Poetry Editor at No Tokens

Genres: Poetry

98 pages, Paperback

Published September 1, 2020

Reviews

[Andra Vltavín · Rating 5 out of 5]

These poems, written about and for Weldon Kees, speak volumes of love, loss, and the trapezing reality of being an artist in multiple mediums. Ms. Moon makes excellent work of preserving the style of the very real poet in fictional imaginings of his life before and after his mysterious disappearance. The ever-present Robinson--an alter ego? lover? best friend? does it matter?--will forever dog my literary footsteps.

[Susan Lyon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a delightful look at the life of an interesting character, (Weldon Kees), through beautiful poetry.