Prism

by David St. John

Poetry. This book of new poems by David St. John includes fourteen vibrant photographs by Lance Patigian. One of the finest poetic craftsmen of his generation, David St. John has recevied regular and lavish praise from his contemporaries. Speaking of his poetry, Robert Hass has said, "It is not just gorgeous, it is go-for-broke gorgeous. It is made out of sentences, sweeping through and across his meticulous verse stanzas, that could have been written, for their velvet and intricate suavity, by Henry James. But that doesn't quite describe them, since they are also full, almost past ripeness, of a floating, sometimes painful, sometimes wistful, intense, dark and silvery eroticism that feels as if it comes out of some cross between late nineteeth-century symbolist lushness--vague and specific at once--and the kind of '60s and '70s European film that talked about eroticism with a wistfulness so intense that it seemed experience and the melancholy recollection of experience were the same th

Genres: Poetry

129 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

Reviews

[Stas · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first poem introduces a nice alliteration of opal. It is followed by some electric photos.
The second poem instantly planted in Lalond 2582, suggesting a spread of eagle satanism. Thus sentenced, I realize
one of the colors. In the same poem.
then a new color of a plant introduces the subject of some religious locomotion and conjures us a memory of other sand dunes, in a movie
(guess which movie). Is saffron lighter than heh mustard. Which is a true cowherd?
Next poem scary! horror grip me! Cold embrace me!
What are you hawking, the bloody orange seller? a pound of whose flesh?
you speak of peaches, knocking against the small of her Bach
let's a new beginning.
не каждый ли в гавани раб?
Is каждый hapless and hoppy good to her THWIN oranges?
stop page
drink French unmentionable tousche
yet even more Frensch still colors nod to jazz
why do some people pretend to hate it so?
finally get graphic now, oh thou poor Atolier

[Michelle]

Luscious, sexy, vivid, darkly funny, with melancholic undertones. The poet recalls locations and lovers from NY to Rome and the abstract Technicolor photos by collaborator, Lance Patigian, provide a visual narrative that stokes St. John’s lyrical quasi-symbolist one. A super fun book to read aloud if you can do it without passing out considering the absence of commas and periods. All the poems are fourteen line sonnets with varying stanza patterns.

[Emriser · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the poetry and actually had teacher at Ole Miss, Beth Ann Fennelly, have class/breakfast at her house where we got to meet with and ask David St. John questions.

[Lesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite books of poems. Brilliant. Gorgeous. Love it.