Adrienne Rich's poems are always gorgeous, provocative, and striking. In this collection in particular, though, there's a sort of haunting quality to many of the works. The political element that comes into her poetry so often, and which makes for some of my favorite poems, is turned more toward personal revelation and struggle here, focused more on characters and situations which readers will find strangely available and familiar, less documentary in a larger sense as opposed to a relatable, if sometimes terrifying, personal sense.

This collection surprised me--it wasn't what I expected, based on other collections of Rich's I've read, and yet it was every inch her lyrical voice and elegantly dangerous, striking work.

For readers of poetry, or Rich, I absolutely recommend it. ( )

While I did like a few of the poems ("Rhyme", "Hubble Photographs: After Sappho", parts of "Draft #2006"), most left me either unmoved or confused. Perhaps I should have gotten an earlier collection, more similar to "Planetarium". ( )

This is Adrienne Rich! I have been a fan of her poetry for many years (my favorite being her 1970s poetry "The Dream of a Common Language"). Her latest collection doe snot miss she is still experimenting with formal styles yet seems to have a preference for more modern free verse. Her poems have always had a tinge of the political with personal reminiscences tossed in for flavor. These are not as accessible as her early work which either states that she has evolved as a writer and we have not or she is experimenting with a common figurative language that she hopes we will aspire to. Poetry, goes without saying (though I just did), need to be reread and reread again as it reflects our own personalities at different times within our lives. By doing this it becomes timeless and Rich has once again demonstrated that.

This isn't a long book of poetry but like much of Atwood's poetry it packs a wallop. Only one or two poems have a rhyme scheme. Most of the poems rely on free verse and very minimalist at that. However, the images she creates of loneliness, connection, loss, (un)fulfilled wishes, friendship, and reminiscence is so powerful that at times, your breath is taken away. Don't read this book in one sitting. You can't. Read a poem here and a poem there. Let it soak into you and give your brain time to wrap around each line, each stanza. Good poetry leaves you thinking about it hours and days later. This is good poetry.

I enjoyed reading this poetry book by Adrienne Rich. She offers a good sense of imagery with a quiet strength that renders her poems as important yarns in our social and intellectual fabric. Highly recommended. ( )