Familiar Strangers: New & Selected Poems 1960-2004

by Brendan Kennelly

This substantial book represents Brendan Kennelly's own selection from over twenty poetry books written over five decades. He has been a poet who has revisited his work, re-scoring familiar and estranged pieces into new gatherings that reflect his preoccupations more powerfully, bringing together poems from different times--and adding many new, previously lost or unpublished ones--so that they speak in chorus like the generations of people they celebrate.

Genres: Poetry, Ireland

496 pages, Paperback

First published October 15, 2004

About the author

Timothy Brendan Kennelly, usually known as Brendan Kennelly, was an Irish poet and novelist. He was Professor of Modern Literature at Trinity College Dublin until 2005. Following his retirement he was a Professor Emeritus at Trinity College.

Reviews

[s.penkevich [hiatus-will return-miss you all] · Rating 5 out of 5]

The literary world lost a great poet this week with the passing of Irish poet Brendan Kennelly at age 85. As another great Irish poet, Patrick Kavanagh, once wrote ‘I dabbled in words and I found they were my life,’ and through his beautiful body of work he will live on in all our hearts. Familiar Strangers, Kennelly’s New and Selected poetry collection from the always incredible Bloodaxe Books is an incredible overview of the poet’s work. Kennelly’s poems have always been so heartfelt and accessible without economizing depth or poetic glory, making them extremely memorable, quotable, and easily residing deep in your heart long after having read them. Through playful language that is rooted in the oral tradition, Kennelly is a master at both profound earnestness of life and beauty as well as satirical commentary on human failures and this collection is a perfect journey through his work.

‘Though we live in a world that dreams of ending
that always seems about to give in
something that will not acknowledge conclusion
insists that we forever begin.’
-from Begin

Born in County Kerry in 1936, Kennelly lived a long a decorated life as a poet and professor at Trinity College, Dublin. Having spent plenty of time roaming campus and surrounding Dublin streets, Kennelly was one I was frequently recommended and enjoyed (along with the late, great Eavan Boland). There is such an infectious charm that immediately hits when reading Kennelly, though how can you not be amused by a poet with a collection titled Poetry My Arse. One of his most noteworthy poems is a 400 page epic titled The Book of Judas, from which his most quoted line ‘the best way to serve the age is to betray it,’ can be found. ‘To me betraying the Age means exposing its conceits, its foibles, its phony moral certitudes,’ said U2 singer Bono when asked about his favorite line of poetry, ‘it means telling the secrets of the age and facing harsher truths.’ This statement can really apply to much of what Kennelly is doing in his work, such as in poems like My Dark Fathers dealing with the a history of Ireland affected by famine. Here is the final stanza:
Since every moment of the clock
Accumulates to form a final name,
Since I am come of Kerry clay and rock,
I celebrate the darkness and the shame
That could compel a man to turn his face
Against the wall, withdrawn from light so strong
And undeceiving, spancelled in a place
Of unapplauding hands and broken song.

The famous line from Book of Judas also appeared as a tattoo across Kennelly’s daughter Doodle Kennelly, a writer who helped normalize discussion of mental health issues through her essays and articles. Doodle unfortunately passed unexpectedly earlier this year in April. Just this one line really resonates though, and it is really touching to see his daughter use his line as a life motto and really live it. It’s a line I will certainly always think about now as well.

‘I go back beyond the old man
Mind and body broken
To find the unbroken man.
It is the moment before the dance begins.

Your lips are enjoying themselves
Whistling an air.
Whatever happens or cannot happen
In the time I have to spare
I see you dancing father’
-from I See You Dancing Father

The language in Kennelly’s work is quite noteworthy for being rather colloquial and retaining a sense of the oral tradition. Kennelly enjoyed reading his poems aloud and has a wonderful delivery and speaking voice, making it clear these poems were intended to be heard just as much as (if not more) read. On his use of language he has said:

‘Poetry is an attempt to cut through the effects of deadening familiarity and repeated, mechanical usage in order to unleash that profound vitality, to reveal that inner sparkle. In the beginning was the Word. In the end will be the Word ... language is a human miracle always in danger of drowning in a sea of familiarity.’

I love this tribute to language, particularly nodding to regional uses of languages that are culturally embedded. Furthermore of poetry he says:

’Poetry is, above all, a singing art of natural and magical connection because, though it is born out of one's person's solitude, it has the ability to reach out and touch in a humane and warmly illuminating way the solitude, even the loneliness, of others. That is why, to me, poetry is one of the most vital treasures that humanity possesses; it is a bridge between separated souls.’

The connections between hearts, souls and minds is what I truly love most about poetry. ‘A writer is not interested in explaining reality,’ wrote Kennelly, ‘he’s only interested in capturing it.’ To be able to capture reality in the abstract and, through words, project those emotions and impressions into your readers is truly magic to me.

‘And will the new young flowers die?
And will the new young people die?
And why?’
-from Poem from a Three Year Old

The literary world has lost another great poet, but the miracle of poetry is that it outlives us and grows in the hearts of those who read it. This is a wonderful collection to introduce yourself to Kennelly, and I appreciate how large of a collection it is so you can always keep coming back for more. Farewell, Brendan Kennelly.

5/5

We are Living

What is this room
But the moments we have lived in it?
When all due has been paid
To gods of wood and stone
And recognition has been made
Of those who’ll breathe here when we are gone
Does it not take its worth from us
Who made it because we were here?

Your words are the only furniture I can remember
Your body the book that told me most.
If this room has a ghost
It will be your laughter in the frank dark
Revealing the world as a room
Loved only for those moments when
We touched the purely human.

I could give water now to thirsty plants,
Dig up the floorboards, the foundation,
Study the worm’s confidence,
Challenge his omnipotence
Because my blind eyes have seen through walls
That make safe prisons of the days.

We are living
In ceiling, floor and windows,
We are given to where we have been.
This white door will always open
On what our hands have touched,
Our eyes have seen.

Down
why does a poem
always
go
down
the page
like
a shooting
star
or a spade
cutting
into earth
making way
for seeds
to nestle
in darkness
and slowly
begin
to become
(for example)
a small
white
flower
perfect
in the
light?

[Bernadette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank You Brendan for lifting us up and embracing our fragile natures with your generous heart and gift for real life poetic expression of truth, love, sorrow, joy, hope, belonging, connection, healing..... 🙏

[Sandrine Brisset · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great collection.
A little too big for a paperback. I'd recommend the hardback.

[Peacefulbookery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful words that stay in the mind for a long time. Kennelly is incredible.